# US Congress Members - Second Homes **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 17, 2009, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-congress-members-second-homes/486258 "2009-02-17T12:22:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-congress-members-second-homes/486258/1 "2009-02-17T12:22:54Z")
There is a minor spat over here right now concerning expenses claimed by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith for a ‘second home’ in her Redditch constituency. Many people would argue that Smith’s house in Redditch is, in fact, her main home. That’s where her family lives and where her children go to school. However, Smith has registered her primary residence as her sister’s house in London where she stays during the week. A cynic might point out that she is exploiting a loosely policed expenses system in order to gain maximum financial advantage for herself. The same cynic might point the finger at other members of parliament who haven’t been slow to pursue similar favourable policies. Be that as it may. [Link](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7877422.stm). While I by no means assume the same main home/second home controversy applies in the US, I am curious to know what system of housing expenses exists to meet the living requirements of senators and members of the House of Representatives when away from their home states attending Congress in Washington. Many thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-congress-members-second-homes/486258/2 "2009-02-17T12:51:04Z")
There was a controversy when it was revealed that Alaska Governor and vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin was [billing the state of Alaska a per diem](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/08/AR2008090803088_pf.html)for nights she lived in her own house in Wasilla: > [@](#): > > Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has billed taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office, charging a “per diem” allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business. > > … > > The popular governor collected the per diem allowance from April 22, four days after the birth of her fifth child, until June 3, when she flew to Juneau for two days. Palin moved her family to the capital during the legislative session last year, but prefers to stay in Wasilla and drive 45 miles to Anchorage to a state office building where she conducts most of her business, aides have said. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-congress-members-second-homes/486258/3 "2009-02-17T13:33:27Z")
> [@Chez\_Guevara](#): > > While I by no means assume the same main home/second home controversy applies in the US, I am curious to know what system of housing expenses exists to meet the living requirements of senators and members of the House of Representatives when away from their home states attending Congress in Washington. Members of Congress make $174,000 a year in salary, and there is no additional per diem or housing allowance for the time spent in Washington. Members have to pay for both residences out of that salary. Interestingly, Senator Durbin and Senator Schumer, who are basically the number two and three Democrats in the Senate, live in a group home with some others. [Link.](http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F03E7D81031F930A35750C0A9649C8B63) This living arrangement is the exception, rather than the norm, tho. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-congress-members-second-homes/486258/4 "2009-02-17T14:41:40Z")
Around the first of the year there was a story on one of the major networks showing what freshman representatives have to go through when they start. There is a lottery for empty office space. One of the new guys had a fold up mattress/cot. He was planning on living in his office while Congress was in session. ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-congress-members-second-homes/486258/5 "2009-02-17T15:42:31Z")
Article II, section 4 of the New York State Constitution provides: § 4. For the purpose of voting, no person shall be deemed to have gained or lost a residence, by reason of his or her presence or absence, while employed in the service of the United States; . . . . This has been held to mean that military and civilian federal employees who entered service from New York can remain New York residents not only for voting but for purposes of eligibility to run for office in the state. For instance, even if Secretary of State Clinton were to give up her Chappaqua home and live permanently in her Washington residence (assuming she didn’t do something to become a Washington resident like registering to vote), she would be qualified to run for Governor as she would still meet the requirement that the Governor have been a state resident for five years prior to her election. I would assume that other states have similar provisions in their laws. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-congress-members-second-homes/486258/6 "2009-02-17T16:10:32Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Around the first of the year there was a story on one of the major networks showing what freshman representatives have to go through when they start. There is a lottery for empty office space. One of the new guys had a fold up mattress/cot. He was planning on living in his office while Congress was in session. There are a handful of representatives who do this (there is a gym in the building for showers and they can cook on a hot plate when they’re not eating in the cafeteria). In the old days, senators and representatives would often live in hotels or boarding houses when in DC. Now, they’re more likely to take an apartment or buy or rent a house. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-congress-members-second-homes/486258/7 "2009-02-17T16:40:52Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > There are a handful of representatives who do this (there is a gym in the building for showers and they can cook on a hot plate when they’re not eating in the cafeteria). There are plenty of restaurants within a short walk of the House office buildings as well: there’s certainly no need to starve! ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-congress-members-second-homes/486258/8 "2009-02-17T18:18:26Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Around the first of the year there was a story on one of the major networks showing what freshman representatives have to go through when they start. There is a lottery for empty office space. One of the new guys had a fold up mattress/cot. He was planning on living in his office while Congress was in session. Then-Congressman Jeffords of Vermont did that for a while. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-congress-members-second-homes/486258/9 "2009-02-17T22:55:29Z")
When LBJ first got to DC for Congress he lived in a boarding house type place. He used to brush his teeth up to 3 times a night so he would be able to meet other congressmen in the bathroom and get to know them.