Will Wyoming’s Next Congressman Sleep In His Office?

Members of Congress must keep a home in the district they serve, and they must be in Washington, D.C., for almost half of the year.

That can be expensive for someone making $174K a year.

A basic one-bedroom apartment in Washington, DC typically costs between $1,700 and $2,400 per month. It's not a good idea to rent a place on the lower end of that price scale. Those are not nice apartments. To find a decent and safe place to rent, for a one-bedroom, it jumps to over $2800 a month.

Congress's offices are not in the Capitol. There is a building right next to the Capitol where they all work. In that building, they have everything they need. Showers, a gym, a commissary, and vending machines. There is even 24/7 security.

Liz Cheney had a home in Virginia with her husband. U.S. Representative Harriet Hageman has not publicly detailed her specific private D.C. housing arrangement or whether she stays in a private apartment, shared rental, or her Capitol office. Senator Barrasso owns a private residence in D.C. Senator Cynthia Lummis resides in her own condominium located on New York Avenue.

It turns out that many members of Congress choose to sleep in their offices to save money.

Here is a short list of some more notable members who sleep in their offices after everyone else goes home.

Paul Ryan (Former Speaker of the House, R-Wis.) – Widely noted for sleeping on a cot or bedroll in his office.

Kevin McCarthy (Former House Majority Leader, R-Calif.) – Frequently cited as one of the congressional leaders utilizing an office setup.

Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) – A Democrat who has openly shared that he sleeps on a floor mattress in his office to save money for his family.

Kristi Noem (Former Rep., R-S.D.) – Kept spare blankets and pillows in a Rayburn Building closet and used a pullout couch.

Andy Barr (R-Ky.) – Frequently identified among members bunking in office suites.

Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.) – Openly acknowledged sleeping on his office couch to cut down on dual-residence costs.

Mark Sanford (Former Rep., R-S.C.) – Famously lived out of his office during his tenure.