I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5891 
To reduce the annual rate of pay of Members of Congress if a Government 
shutdown occurs during a year, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 31, 2025 
Mr. STEIL 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 with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To reduce the annual rate of pay of Members of Congress 
if a Government shutdown occurs during a year, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Withhold Member Pay 
During Shutdowns Act’’. 
SEC. 2. NO PAY FOR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS DURING GOV-
ERNMENT SHUTDOWNS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
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(1) the term ‘‘Government shutdown’’ means a 
lapse in appropriations for 1 or more Federal agen-
cies or departments; 
(2) the term ‘‘Member of Congress’’ means an 
individual serving in a position under subparagraph 
(A), (B), or (C) of section 601(a)(1) of the Legisla-
tive Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 4501(1)); 
and 
(3) the term ‘‘payroll administrator’’, with re-
spect to a House of Congress, means— 
(A) in the case of the Senate, the Sec-
retary of the Senate, or an employee of the Of-
fice of the Secretary of the Senate who is des-
ignated by the Secretary to carry out the re-
quirements of this section; and 
(B) in the case of the House of Represent-
atives, 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 the requirements of this 
section. 
(b) REQUIRING REDUCTION OF PAY OF MEMBERS OF 
CONGRESS IF GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN OCCURS.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—If on any day during a pay 
period a Government shutdown is in effect, the pay-
roll administrator of each House of Congress shall 
exclude from the payments otherwise required to be 
made with respect to that pay period for the com-
pensation of each Member of Congress who serves in 
that House of Congress an amount equal to the 
product of— 
(A) an amount equal to one day’s worth of 
pay under the annual rate of pay of the Mem-
ber under section 601(a) of the Legislative Re-
organization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 4501); and 
(B) the number of 24-hour periods during 
the pay period 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 Fed-
eral office held in November 2026 (in this section 
referred to as the ‘‘pay reduction effective date’’). 
(c) SPECIAL RULE FOR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS BE-
FORE GENERAL ELECTION.— 
(1) HOLDING SALARIES IN ESCROW.—If on any 
day before the pay reduction effective date a Govern-
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ment shutdown is in effect, the payroll administrator 
of each House of Congress shall— 
(A) withhold from the payments otherwise 
required to be made with respect to a pay pe-
riod 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 pe-
riod; 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 vio-
lation of the 27th Amendment to the Constitution of 
the United States, the payroll administrator of a 
House of Congress shall release for payments to 
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Members of that House of Congress any amounts re-
maining in any escrow account under this subsection 
on the pay reduction effective date. 
(3) 
APPLICABILITY.—This 
subsection 
shall 
apply with respect to days during the period begin-
ning on the date of enactment of this Act and end-
ing on the pay reduction effective date. 
(d) ROLE OF SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY.—The 
Secretary of the Treasury shall provide the payroll admin-
istrators of the Houses of Congress with such assistance 
as may be necessary to enable the payroll administrators 
to carry out this section. 
Æ 
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