I 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4447 

To direct the employing authority of any officer or employee of the Federal 

Government who is in contempt of Congress to not pay compensation 

to the officer or employee while the officer or employee remains in 

contempt, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 10, 2014 

Mr. FARENTHOLD (for himself, Mr. DESJARLAIS, and Mr. LANKFORD) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

A BILL 

To direct the employing authority of any officer or employee 

of the Federal Government who is in contempt of Congress to not pay compensation to the officer or employee 

while the officer or employee remains in contempt, and 

for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Contempt Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. NO PAYMENT OF COMPENSATION FOR FEDERAL 

2 EMPLOYEES IN CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS. 

3 (a) NO PAYMENT PERMITTED.—If an officer or em4 ployee of the Federal Government is in a period of con5 tempt of Congress during any pay period, the head of the 

6 employing authority of the employee shall not pay the 

7 compensation otherwise required to be paid to the officer 

8 or employee for such pay period. 

9 (b) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act— 

10 (1) the term ‘‘officer’’ has the meaning given 

11 such term in section 2104 of title 5, United States 

12 Code; and 

13 (2) the term ‘‘employee’’ has the meaning given 

14 such term in section 2105 of title 5, United States 

15 Code. 

16 SEC. 3. PERIOD OF CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS DESCRIBED. 

17 (a) PERIOD DESCRIBED.—For purposes of this Act, 

18 a ‘‘period of contempt of Congress’’ is, with respect to an 

19 officer or employee of the Federal Government, any of the 

20 following: 

21 (1) The period which begins on the date on 

22 which a resolution holding the officer or employee in 

23 contempt is adopted by the House of Representa24 tives or Senate and ends on the date on which a res25 olution revoking such contempt is adopted by the 

26 House or Senate (as the case may be). 


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1 (2) The period which begins on the date on 

2 which a statement of contempt described in sub3 section (b) is filed in the House of Representatives 

4 or Senate with respect to the officer or employee and 

5 which ends on the date on which a statement with6 drawing such statement of contempt is filed with the 

7 House or Senate (as the case may be). 

8 (b) STATEMENT OF CONTEMPT DESCRIBED.—In this 

9 Act, a ‘‘statement of contempt’’ is, with respect to an indi10 vidual, a statement of fact which has been filed with the 

11 President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of 

12 Representatives under section 104 of the Revised Statutes 

13 (2 U.S.C. 194) that the individual has failed to appear, 

14 testify, produce information, or answer pertinent questions 

15 when summoned by Congress or a committee of Congress. 

Æ 


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