III 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 551 

Providing that the salaries of Senators shall be held in escrow until the 

Senate has passed legislation that appropriately addresses the COVID19 outbreak. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 24, 2020 

Ms. MCSALLY submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Rules and Administration 

RESOLUTION 

Providing that the salaries of Senators shall be held in escrow until the Senate has passed legislation that appropriately addresses the COVID-19 outbreak. 

1 Resolved, 

2 SECTION 1. NO COVID-19 RELIEF, NO PAY. 

3 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 

4 (1) the term ‘‘covered period’’ means the period 

5 beginning March 25, 2020, and ending on the earlier 

6 of— 

7 (A) the date that the Senate passes 

8 COVID-19 relief legislation; or 


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•SRES 551 IS 

1 (B) the last day of the One Hundred Six2 teenth Congress; 

3 (2) the term ‘‘COVID-19 relief legislation’’ 

4 means legislation that the majority leader of the 

5 Senate determines appropriately addresses the 

6 COVID-19 outbreak; and 

7 (3) the term ‘‘Secretary of the Senate’’ means 

8 the Secretary of the Senate, or an employee of the 

9 Office of the Secretary of the Senate who is des10 ignated by the Secretary to carry out this resolution. 

11 (b) IN GENERAL.— 

12 (1) DEADLINE FOR PASSING COVID-19 RELIEF

13 LEGISLATION.—If, by March 24, 2020, the Senate 

14 does not pass COVID-19 relief legislation, then, for 

15 the duration of the covered period, the Secretary of 

16 the Senate shall— 

17 (A) deposit in an escrow account all pay18 ments otherwise required to be made during the 

19 covered period for the compensation of the Sen20 ators; and 

21 (B) release amounts deposited in an es22 crow account under subparagraph (A) to the 

23 Senator only upon the expiration of the end of 

24 the covered period. 


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•SRES 551 IS 

1 (2) WITHHOLDING AND REMITTANCE OF

2 AMOUNTS FROM PAYMENTS HELD IN ESCROW.—The 

3 Secretary of the Senate shall provide for the same 

4 withholding and remittance with respect to a pay5 ment deposited in an escrow account under para6 graph (1) that would apply to the payment if the 

7 payment were not subject to paragraph (1). 

8 (3) RELEASE OF AMOUNTS AT END OF THE

9 CONGRESS.—In order to ensure that this section is 

10 carried out in a manner that shall not vary the com11 pensation of Senators in violation of the twenty-sev12 enth article of amendment to the Constitution of the 

13 United States, the Secretary of the Senate shall re14 lease for payments to Senators any amounts remain15 ing in any escrow account under this section on the 

16 last day of the One Hundred Sixteenth Congress. 

17 (4) ROLE OF SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY.— 

18 The Secretary of the Treasury shall provide the Sec19 retary of the Senate with such assistance as may be 

20 necessary to enable the Secretary of the Senate to 

21 carry out this section. 

22 (c) NOTIFICATION.—The majority leader of the Sen23 ate shall— 


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•SRES 551 IS 

1 (1) upon the date of enactment of this resolu2 tion, inform the Secretary of the Senate that the 

3 provisions of subsection (b) are in effect; and 

4 (2) notify the Secretary of the Senate when the 

5 Senate has passed COVID-19 relief legislation and 

6 the covered period has ended. 

Æ 


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