(Headline USA) The Democrat-controlled House of Representatives plans to provide congressional staffers in Washington, D.C. and local district offices free Peloton memberships using taxpayer dollars, according to Fox Business.
In a draft email from the office of the Chief Administrative Officer, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., announced that Peloton memberships would be one of several “premier employee benefits” available to all staffers and Capitol Police officers.
These staffers will now “have access to thousands of live and on-demand classes, across multiple disciplines, that are available for streaming across multiple devices and require no purchase of Peloton equipment,” the email said.
There are an estimated 10,000 people on staff working for the House of Representatives, and about 2,300 Capitol Police officers.
A source familiar with the deal said the House will have to pay $10,000 to Peloton up front, plus an extra $10 per month charge for each staffer and officer who uses the memberships. If all 12,000 people in the House use this benefit, it would cost taxpayers $120,000 a month.
Currently, a Peloton All-Access Membership costs users $39 per month, while an app membership only costs $12.99 per month.
The report comes as inflation rises to historic levels.
Consumer prices jumped 8.3% last month from 12 months earlier, the Labor Department said Wednesday. That was below the 8.5% year-over-year surge in March, which was the highest since 1981.
On a month-to-month basis, prices rose 0.3% from March to April, the smallest increase in eight months, but still nothing for Democrats in power to crow about as they brace for a punishing red-wave election in November.
The sharp price gains from March to April “make clear that there is still a long way to go before inflation returns to more acceptable levels,” said Eric Winograd, U.S. economist at asset manager AB.
