Lawmakers vote to increase budgets for House offices

The additional money for staff salaries and other office expenses is aimed in large part at retaining staff aides, who are often 20-somethings who struggle to make ends meet in Washington, where rents have skyrocketed and opportunities outside of Congress often pay more than Capitol Hill jobs.

The legislative operations funding measure is the second of the 12 annual spending bills to pass the GOP-controlled chamber, where a split between tea party lawmakers and House leaders over funding levels has meant delays and a controversy over a gay rights amendment by Democrats has scuttled one major bill.

GOP leaders have since moved to block Democrats from again offering the LGBT measure, which is aimed at protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people from discrimination by federal contractors.