This year, dozens of lawmakers worth over $10 million took advantage of an optional program intended to help less well-off members of Congress afford the high cost of maintaining a second residence in D.C., a Washington Examiner review of public records has found.

In 2023, House Democrats quietly tweaked congressional rules by enabling representatives to submit reimbursement requests for tens of thousands of dollars per year in food and housing expenses. The rule change was reportedly spurred by concern among lawmakers after former Rep. Gregg Harper (R-MS) was forced to retire out of financial necessity due to his inability to afford care for his disabled child on top of rent in the nation’s capital.