I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1172 
To amend title 31, United States Code, to provide for automatic continuing 
appropriations, to withhold the pay of the President and Members of 
Congress during any period in which such automatic continuing appro-
priations are in effect, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 13, 2019 
Mr. KILDEE (for himself and Mr. DEFAZIO) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition 
to the Committees on Oversight and Reform, House Administration, and 
the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the juris-
diction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend title 31, United States Code, to provide for auto-
matic continuing appropriations, to withhold the pay of 
the President and Members of Congress during any pe-
riod in which such automatic continuing appropriations 
are in effect, 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 ‘‘Ensure Washington 
Funds Government Responsibly Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. AUTOMATIC CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 13 of title 31, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1310 
the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 1311. CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS. 
‘‘(a)(1) If any appropriation measure for a fiscal year 
is not enacted before the beginning of such fiscal year or 
a joint resolution making continuing appropriations is not 
in effect, there are appropriated such sums as may be nec-
essary to continue any program, project, or activity for 
which funds were provided in the preceding fiscal year— 
‘‘(A) in the corresponding appropriation Act for 
such preceding fiscal year; or 
‘‘(B) if the corresponding appropriation bill for 
such preceding fiscal year did not become law, then 
in a joint resolution making continuing appropria-
tions for such preceding fiscal year. 
‘‘(2)(A) Appropriations and funds made available, 
and authority granted, for a program, project, or activity 
for any fiscal year pursuant to this section shall be at a 
rate of operations not in excess of the lower of— 
‘‘(i) 100 percent of the rate of operations pro-
vided for in the regular appropriation Act providing 
for such program, project, or activity for the pre-
ceding fiscal year, increased by the percent increase 
(if any) in the Consumer Price Index for Urban 
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‘‘(i) occur on any date during such period that 
the Bureau publishes the CPI–U; and 
‘‘(ii) extend beyond the last day of that fiscal 
year in the same manner. 
‘‘(C) If this section is in effect at the end of a fiscal 
year, funding levels shall continue as provided in this sec-
tion for the next fiscal year. 
‘‘(D) During any period in which this section is in 
effect, any sequestration order with respect to discre-
tionary spending under section 254 of the Balanced Budg-
et and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 
904) shall have no force or effect. 
‘‘(3) Appropriations and funds made available, and 
authority granted, for any fiscal year pursuant to this sec-
tion for a program, project, or activity shall be available 
for the period beginning with the first day of a lapse in 
appropriations and ending with the date on which the ap-
plicable regular appropriation bill for such fiscal year be-
comes law (whether or not such law provides for such pro-
gram, project, or activity) or a continuing resolution mak-
ing appropriations becomes law, as the case may be. 
‘‘(b) An appropriation or funds made available, or au-
thority granted, for a program, project, or activity for any 
fiscal year pursuant to this section shall be subject to the 
terms and conditions imposed with respect to the appro-
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priation made or funds made available for the preceding 
fiscal year, or authority granted for such program, project, 
or activity under current law. 
‘‘(c) Expenditures made for a program, project, or 
activity for any fiscal year pursuant to this section shall 
be charged to the applicable appropriation, fund, or au-
thorization whenever a regular appropriation bill or a joint 
resolution making continuing appropriations until the end 
of a fiscal year providing for such program, project, or 
activity for such period becomes law. 
‘‘(d) This section shall not apply to a program, 
project, or activity during a fiscal year if any other provi-
sion of law (other than an authorization of appropria-
tions)— 
‘‘(1) makes an appropriation, makes funds 
available, or grants authority for such program, 
project, or activity to continue for such period; or 
‘‘(2) specifically provides that no appropriation 
shall be made, no funds shall be made available, or 
no authority shall be granted for such program, 
project, or activity to continue for such period.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
of chapter 13 of title 31, United States Code, is amended 
by inserting after the item relating to section 1310 the 
following new item: 
‘‘1311. Continuing appropriations.’’. 
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SEC. 3. PROHIBITING PAYING THE PRESIDENT OR MEM-
BERS OF CONGRESS WHILE AUTOMATIC CON-
TINUING APPROPRIATIONS ARE IN EFFECT. 
(a) RULE FOR ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CON-
GRESS.— 
(1) HOLDING SALARIES IN ESCROW.—If a pay 
period occurs during the One Hundred Sixteenth 
Congress during the period described in paragraph 
(2), the payroll administrator of each House of Con-
gress shall— 
(A) deposit in an escrow account and ex-
clude from the payments otherwise required to 
be made with respect to that 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) the daily rate of pay of the Mem-
ber 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 the pay period; and 
(B) release amounts deposited in an es-
crow account under subparagraph (A) to such 
Member of Congress only upon the expiration of 
the period described in paragraph (2). 
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(2) PERIOD DESCRIBED.—The period described 
in this paragraph is the period that— 
(A) begins on the day on which appropria-
tions and funds are made available pursuant to 
section 1311 of title 31, United States Code (as 
added by section 3(a)); and 
(B) ends on the earlier of— 
(i) the date on which appropriations 
and funds are no longer made available 
pursuant to section 1311 of such title; or 
(ii) the last day of the One Hundred 
Sixteenth Congress. 
(3) 
WITHHOLDING
AND
REMITTANCE
OF 
AMOUNTS FROM PAYMENTS HELD IN ESCROW.—The 
payroll administrator of each House of Congress 
shall provide for the same withholding and remit-
tance with respect to a payment deposited in an es-
crow account under paragraph (1) that would apply 
to the payment if the payment were not subject to 
paragraph (1). 
(4) 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 twenty-seventh amendment to the Con-
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stitution of the United States, the payroll adminis-
trator of a House of Congress shall release for pay-
ment to Members of that House of Congress any 
amounts remaining in any escrow account under this 
section on the last day of the One Hundred Six-
teenth Congress. 
(b) SUBSEQUENT CONGRESSES.— 
(1) REDUCTION IN SALARIES.—If a pay period 
occurs during the One Hundred Seventeenth Con-
gress or any succeeding Congress during the period 
described in paragraph (2), the payroll administrator 
of each House of Congress shall exclude from the 
payments otherwise required to be made with re-
spect to that pay period for the compensation of 
each Member of Congress who serves in that House 
of Congress an amount equal to the product of— 
(A) the daily rate of pay of the Member 
under section 601(a) of the Legislative Reorga-
nization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 4501); and 
(B) the number of 24-hour periods during 
the pay period. 
(2) PERIOD DESCRIBED.—The period described 
in this paragraph is the period that— 
(A) begins on the day on which appropria-
tions and funds are made available pursuant to 
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section 1311 of title 31, United States Code (as 
added by section 3(a)); and 
(B) ends on the date on which appropria-
tions and funds are no longer made available 
pursuant to section 1311 of such title. 
(c) PRESIDENT’S SALARY.—The salary of the Presi-
dent shall be withheld, deposited in escrow, and released 
in the same manner as prescribed under subsections (a) 
and (b) for a Member of Congress. 
(d) ROLE OF SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY.—The 
Secretary of the Treasury shall provide the payroll admin-
istrator of each House of Congress with such assistance 
as may be necessary to enable the payroll administrator 
to carry out this section. 
(e) DEFINITION.—In this section, the following defi-
nitions apply: 
(1) The term ‘‘Member of Congress’’ means a 
Senator or a Representative in, or Delegate or Resi-
dent Commissioner to, the Congress. 
(2) The term ‘‘payroll administrator’’, with re-
spect to a House of Congress, means— 
(A) 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 
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who is designated by the Chief Administrative 
Officer to carry out this section; and 
(B) 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 this sec-
tion. 
Æ 
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