Not a Bad Lot

For the conscientious member of Congress, the job is one of the most demanding in public life. Yet no congressional seat has ever gone vacant because no one wanted it. One reason is that the pay, now $57,500, is good. And so are the fringe benefits. Among the compensating comforts are:

> A $7,000 personal expense allowance for each member.

> Thirty-three round-trips home each year at public expense, plus a minimum of $2,250 or 10% of the total cost.

> A stationery allowance--which can no longer be pocketed--of $6,500 a year.

> Almost unlimited franking privileges to mail official nonpolitical material to constituents.

> Extra postage, called a "constituent communication allowance" of $5,000 a year.

> A telephone and telegraph allowance of at least $6,000 a year.

> Unlimited U.S. telephone-calls between 5 p.m. and 9 a.m. weekdays and all day on weekends and holidays for payment of a single small fee.

> An allowance of $255,144 a year to hire staff in Washington and in the home district.

>Free furnished office space in Washington. Free plants and flowers from the Botanic Garden.

> Reimbursed rental for 1,500 sq. ft. of home district office space at the highest local rate, and a $27,000 allowance for furniture and equipment, which belongs to the government.

> Free medical care and drugs provided by the Capitol physician. Low rates at Bethesda Naval Hospital.

> Cut-rate life insurance.

> Special low rates for photographers; use of a professionally staffed radio and television recording studio; $2 haircuts.

> Free use of the research staff of the Library of Congress.

> Generous retirement pay, now being recomputed under the raised salary. Previously as high as $35,680 after 32 years' service, it will be increased.

> Travel gear: one free trunk per session--a holdover from the pioneer past.

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