No Pay for Congressional Recklessness Act

Bill: 117-hr-9031
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Norman, Ralph [R-SC-5]
Introduced: 2022-09-29
Policy area: Congress
Latest action: action_date: 2022-09-29
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and 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.

Summaries:
action_date: 2022-09-29
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>No Pay for Congressional Recklessness Act</b></p> <p>This bill withholds congressional salaries and restricts the use of federal funds for travel by Members of Congress and executive branch employees while a continuing resolution (CR) is in effect. For the 118th Congress and subsequent Congresses, the bill also reduces congressional salaries by 1% for each day that a CR is in effect. </p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 9031 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 29, 2022 Mr. Norman (for himself, Mr. Biggs , Mrs. Miller of Illinois , and Ms. Mace ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration , and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and 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 decrease the pay of Members of Congress during any period in which continuing appropriations are in effect, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the No Pay for Congressional Recklessness Act . 2. Prohibiting use of funds for certain government activities while continuing appropriations are in effect (a) Prohibition During the period described in subsection (c) , no appropriated funds, including official funds of the House of Representatives, official funds of the Senate, or funds available under any Federal law, rule, or regulation, may be used to pay for the costs of any of the following: (1) Travel by Members of Congress Travel by a Member of Congress (except as provided in paragraph (1) of subsection (b)). (2) Travel by executive branch employees Travel by an employee of an executive agency (except as provided in paragraph (2) of subsection (b)). (b) Exceptions (1) Travel by Members to Washington Metropolitan Area Subsection (a) does not apply with respect to travel by a Member of Congress to the Washington Metropolitan Area. (2) Waivers in case of emergency or threats to security The head of an executive agency may waive the application of subsection (a) to travel by an employee of the agency if the head of the agency determines that travel by the employee is necessary to respond to a threat to national security, a significant law enforcement event, or a natural disaster or other similar emergency. (c) Period described The period described in this subsection is the period that— (1) begins on the 1st day on which a continuing resolution is in effect; and (2) ends on— (A) the date on which appropriations and funds are no longer made available pursuant to a continuing resolution; or (B) if such appropriations and funds are no longer made available as a result of a Government shutdown, the later of the date such shutdown ends or the date on which appropriations and funds are no longer made available pursuant to a continuing resolution after the date such shutdown ends. (d) Definitions In this section, the following definitions apply: (1) The term executive agency has the meaning given that term in section 105 of title 5, United States Code, and includes the Executive Office of the President, the United States Postal Service, and Postal Regulatory Commission, but does not include the Government Accountability Office. (2) The term Washington Metropolitan Area means the District of Columbia, the Counties of Montgomery and Prince George’s in Maryland, and the Counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudon, and Prince William and the Cities of Alexandria and Falls Church in Virginia. 3. Withholding the pay of Members of Congress while continuing appropriations are in effect (a) Rule for One Hundred Seventeenth Congress (1) Holding salaries in escrow If a pay period occurs during the One Hundred Seventeenth Congress during the period described in paragraph (2), the payroll administrator of each House of Congress shall— (A) deposit in an escrow account and exclude 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 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 the pay period; and (B) release amounts deposited in an escrow account under subparagraph (A) to such Member of Congress only upon the expiration of the period described in paragraph (2). (2) Period described The period described in this paragraph is the period that— (A) begins on the 1st day on which a continuing resolution is in effect; and (B) ends on the earlier of— (i) the date on which appropriations and funds are no longer made available pursuant to a continuing resolution; (ii) if such appropriations and funds are no longer made available as a result of a Government shutdown, the later of the date such shutdown ends or the date on which appropriations and funds are no longer made available pursuant to a continuing resolution after the date such shutdown ends; or (iii) the last day of the One Hundred Seventeenth 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 remittance with respect to a payment deposited in an escrow 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 violation of the twenty-seventh amendment to the Constitution of the United States, the payroll administrator of a House of Congress shall release for payment 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 Seventeenth Congress. (b) Subsequent Congresses (1) Withholding salaries If a pay period occurs during the One Hundred Eighteenth Congress 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 respect to that pay period for the compensation of each Member of Congress who serves in that House of Congress an amount equal to a decrease of 1 percent of the annual rate of basic pay for the Member under section 601(a) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 ( 2 U.S.C. 4501 ) for each day during the pay period on which a continuing resolution is in effect. (2) Period described The period described in this paragraph is the period that— (A) begins on the 1st day on which a continuing resolution is in effect; and (B) ends on— (i) the date on which appropriations and funds are no longer made available pursuant to a continuing resolution; or (ii) if such appropriations and funds are no longer made available as a result of a Government shutdown, the later of the date such shutdown ends or the date on which appropriations and funds are no longer made available pursuant to a continuing resolution after the date such shutdown ends. (c) Role of Secretary of the Treasury The Secretary of the Treasury shall provide the payroll administrator of each House of Congress with such assistance as may be necessary to enable the payroll administrator to carry out this section. (d) Definition In this section, the term payroll administrator , with respect to 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 section; 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 section. 4. Determination of Government shutdown For purposes of this Act, 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. 5. Definitions In this Act— (1) the term continuing resolution means, with respect to a fiscal year for which an appropriation measure for the fiscal year is not enacted before the beginning of such fiscal year, a bill or joint resolution making continuing appropriations for any program, project, or activity for which funds were provided in the preceding fiscal year in the amount provided in the corresponding appropriation Act for such preceding fiscal year or, if the corresponding appropriation bill for such preceding fiscal year did not become law, the amount provided in a bill or joint resolution making continuing appropriations for such preceding fiscal year; and (2) the term Member of Congress means a Senator or a Representative in, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress.