No Pay for Congress During Default or Shutdown Act
This bill withholds or eliminates the pay of Members of Congress for any day that the public debt limit is reached or there is a government shutdown.
During the 119th Congress, any salary earned by Members during these events must be held in escrow and released on the last day of that Congress. For subsequent Congresses, a Member shall not be paid for any day that these events occur. (Some exceptions apply.)
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1973 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1973
To reduce the annual rate of pay of Members of Congress if the public
debt limit is reached or a Government shutdown occurs during a year,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 10, 2025
Mr. Vindman (for himself and Mr. Fitzpatrick) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration, and
in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a
period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To reduce the annual rate of pay of Members of Congress if the public
debt limit is reached or a Government shutdown occurs during a year,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``No Pay for Congress During Default
or Shutdown Act''.
SEC. 2. REQUIRING REDUCTION OF PAY OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IF PUBLIC
DEBT LIMIT IS REACHED.
(a) Reduction of Pay for Each Day of Government Shutdown.--
(1) In general.--If on any day during a year the public
debt limit is reached, the annual rate of pay applicable under
section 601(a) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2
U.S.C. 4501) with respect to each Member of Congress for the
year shall be reduced by an amount equal to the product of--
(A) an amount equal to one day's worth of pay under
such annual rate; and
(B) the number of 24-hour periods during which the
public debt limit is reached.
(2) Effective date.--This subsection shall apply with
respect to days occurring after the date of the regularly
scheduled general election for Federal office held in November
2026.
(b) Special Rule for One Hundred Nineteenth Congress.--
(1) Holding salaries in escrow.--If on any day during the
One Hundred Nineteenth Congress the public debt limit is
reached, the payroll administrator of that House of Congress
shall--
(A) withhold from the payments otherwise required
to be made with respect to a pay period for the
compensation of each Member of Congress who serves in
that House of Congress an amount equal to the product
of--
(i) an amount equal to one day's worth of
pay under the annual rate of pay applicable to
the Member under section 601(a) of the
Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2
U.S.C. 4501), and
(ii) the number of 24-hour periods during
which the public debt limit is reached which
occur during the pay period; and
(B) deposit in an escrow account all amounts
withheld under subparagraph (A).
(2) Release of amounts at end of the congress.--In order to
ensure that this subsection is carried out in a manner that
shall not vary the compensation of Members of Congress in
violation of the twenty-seventh article of amendment to the
Constitution of the United States, the payroll administrator of
a House of Congress shall release for payments to Members of
that House of Congress any amounts remaining in any escrow
account under this subsection on the last day of the One
Hundred Nineteenth Congress.
(3) Exception for days occurring after general election.--
This subsection does not apply with respect to any day during
the One Hundred Nineteenth Congress which occurs after the date
of the regularly scheduled general election for Federal office
held in November 2026.
(c) Determination of Reaching of Public Debt Limit.--For purposes
of this section, the public debt limit shall be considered to be
reached if the Federal Government is unable to make payments or meet
obligations because the public debt limit under section 3101 of title
31, United States Code, has been reached.
SEC. 3. REQUIRING REDUCTION OF PAY OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IF GOVERNMENT
SHUTDOWN OCCURS.
(a) Reduction of Pay for Each Day of Government Shutdown.--
(1) In general.--If on any day during a year a Government
shutdown is in effect, the annual rate of pay applicable under
section 601(a) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2
U.S.C. 4501) with respect to each Member of Congress for the
year shall be reduced by an amount equal to the product of--
(A) an amount equal to one day's worth of pay under
such annual rate; and
(B) the number of 24-hour periods during which the
Government shutdown is in effect.
(2) Effective date.--This subsection shall apply with
respect to days occurring after the date of the regularly
scheduled general election for Federal office held in November
2026.
(b) Special Rule for One Hundred Nineteenth Congress.--
(1) Holding salaries in escrow.--If on any day during the
One Hundred Nineteenth Congress a Government shutdown is in
effect, the payroll administrator of that House of Congress
shall--
(A) withhold from the payments otherwise required
to be made with respect to a pay period for the
compensation of each Member of Congress who serves in
that House of Congress an amount equal to the product
of--
(i) an amount equal to one day's worth of
pay under the annual rate of pay applicable to
the Member under section 601(a) of the
Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2
U.S.C. 4501); and
(ii) the number of 24-hour periods during
which the Government shutdown is in effect
which occur during the pay period; and
(B) deposit in an escrow account all amounts
withheld under subparagraph (A).
(2) Release of amounts at end of the congress.--In order to
ensure that this subsection is carried out in a manner that
shall not vary the compensation of Senators or Representatives
in violation of the twenty-seventh article of amendment to the
Constitution of the United States, the payroll administrator of
a House of Congress shall release for payments to Members of
that House of Congress any amounts remaining in any escrow
account under this subsection on the last day of the One
Hundred Nineteenth Congress.
(3) Exception for days occurring after general election.--
This subsection does not apply with respect to any day during
the One Hundred Nineteenth Congress which occurs after the date
of the regularly scheduled general election for Federal office
held in November 2026.
(c) Determination of Government Shutdown.--For purposes of this
section, a Government shutdown shall be considered to be in effect if
there is a lapse in appropriations for any Federal agency or department
as a result of a failure to enact a regular appropriations bill or
continuing resolution.
SEC. 4. ROLE OF SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY.
The Secretary of the Treasury shall provide the payroll
administrators of the Houses of Congress with such assistance as may be
necessary to enable the payroll administrators to carry out this Act.
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
(a) Member of Congress.--In this Act, the term ``Member of
Congress'' means an individual serving in a position under subparagraph
(A), (B), or (C) of section 601(a) of the Legislative Reorganization
Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 4501).
(b) Payroll Administrator.--In this Act, the ``payroll
administrator'' of a House of Congress means--
(1) in the case of the House of Representatives, the Chief
Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives, or an
employee of the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer who
is designated by the Chief Administrative Officer to carry out
this Act; and
(2) in the case of the Senate, the Secretary of the Senate,
or an employee of the Office of the Secretary of the Senate who
is designated by the Secretary to carry out this Act.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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