Pelosi announces raise to House staff salary cap, now $212,100

In one of her final acts as Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi on Friday announced that the House would soon raise the pay cap for House staffers to $212,100.

She previously hiked the cap to $199,300 in 2021, according to The Hill. It was raised again in May to clear $200,000. The minimum salary for House staffers, which currently stands at $45,000, remains unchanged.

By contrast, House lawmakers make $174,000 annually, per the outlet.

"As you know, our hard-working, patriotic Congressional staffers are integral to the functioning of the House of Representatives: ensuring this institution can effectively carry out our legislative and constituent responsibilities," she wrote in an open letter. "To that end, we must do all we can to retain and recruit the best talent in our nation — and to build a Congressional workforce that reflects the communities we are honored to serve."

The hike comes as the U.S. battles significant price increases in the form of inflation. It further comes as President Joe Biden this week signed the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package.

One study from Issue One found that roughly one in eight lawmakers did not pay their staffers wages in line with the cost of living in Washington, D.C., estimating that about 1,2000 House staffers made less than $42,610, according to Fox News.