All four members of Maine’s U.S. congressional delegation participate in a controversial government program that gives their staff members money to help pay off their student loans.

Democratic Rep. Mike Michaud’s office pays the most, giving one staffer $833 a month. Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe’s office pays the least, giving five employees $150 each a month. All four senators and representatives say the payments are necessary to recruit and retain employees and that only their younger aides — those who don’t earn very much — typically get the money.

“Pretty much everybody that uses this is a junior staffer,” said Ian Swanberg, spokesman for Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who gives 14 staffers an average of $286 a month. “Starting salary down in D.C. is probably less than $28,000 a year. It helps.”

Student loan subsidies have been available to House, Senate and executive branch employees for years. But the programs came under fire earlier this week when The Washington Times published an article about the House increasing eligibility to allow even its highest paid staffers — those earning up to $168,411 a year — to get a government subsidy to help repay old college loans, essentially a monthly bonus. According to the story, members of the House voted on the change this spring, about a month after they tried to punish high-earning corporate executives for taking large bonuses.

The House and Senate programs are similar but have some differences, according to The Washington Times. The House program allows employees now earning $168,411 — up from $145,159 — to get up to $10,000 a year, with a lifetime limit of $60,000. The Senate program allows employees earning up to $146,500 to get a maximum lifetime benefit of $40,000.

Both programs tax the subsidy and allow lawmakers to decide which of their staffers will get the money and how much they will get. Maine’s senators and representatives handle the money differently.

Snowe is allocated $48,000 a year under the program but allows only $37,000 to be used. She gives all eligible staffers a flat $150 a month, the average student loan payment for program participants, according to Snowe spokeswoman Julia Wanzco. Because only five employees currently participate, Snowe’s office will spend $9,000 this year, $39,000 less than she’s allowed.

Collins uses up her entire $48,000 yearly allocation, distributing the pot of money among staffers. Her 14 eligible employees get an average $286 a month this year.

Michaud is allowed a maximum $51,984 a year and normally splits the entire pot of money among staffers. But only one employee is participating this year and the program limits individuals to $10,000 a year. That staffer is getting $833 a month, just $4 under that $10,000 yearly limit.

Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree is also allowed a maximum $51,984 a year. She currently spends $43,884, distributing it among six staffers this year. They are getting an average of $609 a month.

Although they have different ways of doling out the money, Snowe, Collins, Michaud and Pingree all say the student loan subsidy is necessary to attract and keep young workers, and they do not use it as a bonus for older, more highly paid staffers.

“Us senior types, our college loans are kind of history,” said John Graham Jr., deputy chief of staff for Michaud.

According to The Washington Times, the House program is expected to cost $12.6 million this fiscal year. The Senate program is expected to cost $4.7 million.

The executive branch, which includes the White House and federal agencies, also offers student loan subsidies to staffers. It spent more than $51 million in 2008 to help 6,879 workers repay student loans, The Washington Times reported. The average benefit was $7,511 a year.

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