This long overdue reform will allow the House to align its pay schedule with the majority of public and private sector employers. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, biweekly payment is the most common pay period, with 36.5 percent of U.S. private businesses paying their employees every 2 weeks. In fact, less than 5 percent of employers follow monthly schedules. All others pay more frequently. This small, but significant, reform will better enable staff to pay their bills on time, particularly junior staff who may be living paycheck to paycheck.

This is yet another example of the invaluable work the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress is doing to improve the institution. Their recommendations and focus on implementation have significantly improved staff's work environment, staff retention, and the institutional memory of the House. Their work has also gone a long way to improve the technology, communications, and operations of the institution to make the House more efficient, accountable, and trustworthy to the constituents who send their Representatives to be their voices in Congress. We applaud the Select Committee and encourage the Senate to follow the House's example of creating a structure for considering reforms to their own body.