The Privileges of the President of the U.S.A
The White House in Washington, D.C. serves as the official place of residence for the President; he (or she) is entitled to use its staff and facilities, including medical care, recreation, housekeeping, and security services. One of two Boeing VC-25 aircraft, which are extensively modified versions of Boeing 747-200B airliners, serve as long distance travel for the President, and are referred to as Air Force One while the president is on board. A salary of $400,000, along with other benefits, is paid to the President annually.
The president also uses a United States Marine Corps helicopter, designated Marine One when the president is aboard. Similarly, "Navy One", "Army One", and "Coast Guard One" are the call signs used if the president is aboard a craft belonging to these services. For ground travel, the president uses an armored presidential limousine, built on a heavily modified Cadillac-based chassis.
Salary
The First U.S. Congress voted to pay George Washington a salary of $25,000 a year, about $566,000 in 2008 terms. Washington, already a wealthy man, refused to accept his salary; however, he asked for his living expenses to be covered. Theodore Roosevelt spent his entire $50,000 salary on entertaining guests at the White House. John F. Kennedy donated his salary to charities.
President Obama currently earns $400,000 per year, along with a $50,000 expense account, a $100,000 nontaxable travel account and $19,000 for entertainment. The most recent raise in salary was approved by Congress and President Bill Clinton in 1999 and went into effect in 2001; prior to the change, the President earned $200,000, plus expense accounts.
Before passage by Congress of the Former Presidents Act (FPA) in 1958, retired Presidents did not receive a pension. All living Presidents in 1959 began to receive a pension of $25,000 per year, an office and a staff. The pension has increased numerous times with Congressional approval. Retired Presidents now receive a pension based on the salary of the current administration's cabinet secretaries (Executive Level I), which is $191,300 as of 2008. Some former Presidents have also collected congressional pensions. The FPA, as amended, also provides former presidents with travel funds and mailing privileges.
Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is charged with protecting the sitting President and his family. Until 1997, all former Presidents, and their families, were protected by the Secret Service until the President's death. The last president to have lifetime Secret Service protection is Bill Clinton; George W. Bush and all subsequent Presidents will be protected by the Secret Service for a maximum of ten years after leaving office. However, Congress has debated the wisdom of this law. Following the increase in terrorism and threats to the President in general since 1997, lifetime protection is being reconsidered. As part of their protection, Presidents, First Ladies, their children and other immediate family members, and other prominent persons and locations are assigned Secret Service codenames . The use of such names was originally for security purposes and dates to a time when sensitive electronic communications were not routinely encrypted; today, the names simply serve for purposes of brevity, clarity and tradition.
