June 12, 1945
Dear Mr.:______________
The salaries of the Members of the House of Representatives and of the Senate should be
commensurate with the nature and volume of their work and with their responsibilities. Equality
between their pay and their job may never be achieved, but certainly there should be less inequity
than at present. Under any measuring rod, the members of the federal legislature are underpaid.
The members of Congress are called upon to exercise seasoned judgment in every field of national
interest. They must establish the policies that will advance the welfare of our people. They must
draft and weigh the statutes to carry out these policies. They must review the administration of the
law in order to determine whether the policies and the statutes should be changed. Day in and day
out this work must be done in countless fields. Proposals now before Congress exemplify the
broad scope of work. Among pending proposals are the international monetary structure, foreign
trade policy, economic stabilization, appropriations for war, tax policy, unemployment compensation
and full employment.
No business concern or private organization would even attempt to hire top-flight executives or
advisors at the level of salaries which presently prevails in the American Congress.
Therefore, the salaries of members of Congress should be increased to a level more in line with
the job they are called upon to do. It will not be possible or wise to do this all at once. The
adjustment of Congressional salaries at present should be in the full amount consistent with the
Little Steel formula and other stabilization criteria by which the government controls salaries and
wages in private industry. When these wage and salary controls are lifted, Congressional salaries
should be increased to at least $15,000.
Sincerely yours,
HARRY S. TRUMAN
NOTE: This is the text of identical letters addressed to the Honorable Kenneth McKellar,
President pro tempore of the Senate, and to the Honorable Sam Rayburn, Speaker of the House of
Representatives.
Dear Mr.:______________
The salaries of the Members of the House of Representatives and of the Senate should be
commensurate with the nature and volume of their work and with their responsibilities. Equality
between their pay and their job may never be achieved, but certainly there should be less inequity
than at present. Under any measuring rod, the members of the federal legislature are underpaid.
The members of Congress are called upon to exercise seasoned judgment in every field of national
interest. They must establish the policies that will advance the welfare of our people. They must
draft and weigh the statutes to carry out these policies. They must review the administration of the
law in order to determine whether the policies and the statutes should be changed. Day in and day
out this work must be done in countless fields. Proposals now before Congress exemplify the
broad scope of work. Among pending proposals are the international monetary structure, foreign
trade policy, economic stabilization, appropriations for war, tax policy, unemployment compensation
and full employment.
No business concern or private organization would even attempt to hire top-flight executives or
advisors at the level of salaries which presently prevails in the American Congress.
Therefore, the salaries of members of Congress should be increased to a level more in line with
the job they are called upon to do. It will not be possible or wise to do this all at once. The
adjustment of Congressional salaries at present should be in the full amount consistent with the
Little Steel formula and other stabilization criteria by which the government controls salaries and
wages in private industry. When these wage and salary controls are lifted, Congressional salaries
should be increased to at least $15,000.
Sincerely yours,
HARRY S. TRUMAN
NOTE: This is the text of identical letters addressed to the Honorable Kenneth McKellar,
President pro tempore of the Senate, and to the Honorable Sam Rayburn, Speaker of the House of
Representatives.