Congress Spends $96K for Staffer Meditation App

House of Representatives staffers were so disturbed by the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol that last year, Congress decided to spend $96,000 on a meditation app to calm their nerves.

The agreement with Calm, a San Francisco-based health software company, gives House staffers a free subscription to Calm’s meditation, sleep, and relaxation app, Fox News reported.

House Appropriations subcommittee chairman Tim Ryan, an Ohio Democrat, announced the agreement in December, saying it was part of a larger effort to address the trauma that events of January 6. inflicted on staff.

"As we head into 2022 and prepare to mark the first anniversary of the events of January 6, 2021, be assured that these offices are here to support you with their comprehensive mental and emotional support resources and to help develop and improve your resilience, growth, productivity, and overall well-being," Ryan’s letter read.

The app agreement began in October 2021, with Congress paying 2 per month per subscriber up to 4,000 people per month, costing $96,000 over 12 months, Fox News reported.

Regular Americans without a congressional hookup pay $14.99 a month or a one-time annual fee of $69.99 to subscribe to Calm’s app, which aims to advance self-improvement by enhancing sleep quality, curtailing anxiety, and boosting focus. The spending comes from the $1.9 billion emergency spending package that Congress passed last year to bolster security post-January 6.

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