Bill Summary
The "Hold Congress Accountable Act" is a bill that aims to reduce the annual pay of Members of Congress in the event of a government shutdown. It requires a reduction in pay for each day of the shutdown, based on the number of 24-hour periods in which the shutdown is in effect. This act will only go into effect after the regularly scheduled general election in November 2020. The bill also includes a special rule for the One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, which allows for salaries to be withheld and placed in an escrow account during a shutdown. The Secretary of the Treasury will provide assistance to the payroll administrators in carrying out this act. The term "Member of Congress" in this act refers to individuals serving in certain positions listed in the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946. The determination of a government shutdown is based on a lapse in appropriations for a Federal agency or department due to a failure to pass a regular appropriations bill or continuing resolution.
Possible Impacts
1. If a government shutdown occurs during a year, the annual pay of Members of Congress will be reduced. This could affect the financial well-being of these individuals and their families, as well as their ability to fulfill their responsibilities as elected officials.
2. The "Hold Congress Accountable Act" could discourage individuals from running for Congress because of the potential for reduced pay during a government shutdown. This could limit the pool of candidates and potentially affect the diversity and representation in Congress.
3. The Act could also potentially lead to conflicts and tensions within Congress, as some members may feel that their pay is being unfairly reduced while others may support the measure to hold themselves accountable during a government shutdown. This could impact the overall functioning and productivity of Congress.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 211 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 211
To reduce the annual rate of pay of Members of Congress if a Government
shutdown occurs during a year, and for other purposes.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 3, 2019
Mr. Schrader (for himself, Mr. Cooper, Ms. Speier, Ms. DelBene, Mr.
Moulton, Mr. Loebsack, Mr. Correa, Mr. O'Halleran, Mr. Welch, Mr.
Schneider, Mr. Costa, Ms. Spanberger, and Mr. Rose of New York)
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 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 Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Hold Congress Accountable Act''.
SEC. 2. REQUIRING REDUCTION OF PAY OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IF GOVERNMENT
SHUTDOWN OCCURS.
(a) Reduction of Pay for Each Day of Government Shutdown.--If on
any day during a year a Government shutdown is in effect, the annual
rate of pay applicable under section 601(a) of the Legislative
Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 4501) with respect to each Member
of Congress for the year shall be reduced by an amount equal to the
product of--
(1) an amount equal to one day's worth of pay under such
annual rate; and
(2) the number of 24-hour periods during which the
Government shutdown is in effect.
(b) Effective Date.--This section shall apply with respect to days
occurring after the date of the regularly scheduled general election
for Federal office held in November 2020.
SEC. 3. SPECIAL RULE FOR ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS.
(a) Holding Salaries in Escrow.--If on any day during the One
Hundred Sixteenth Congress a Government shutdown is in effect, the
payroll administrator of that House of Congress shall--
(1) withhold from the payments otherwise required to be
made with respect to a 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) 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
(B) the number of 24-hour periods during which the
Government shutdown is in effect which occur during the
pay period; and
(2) deposit in an escrow account all amounts withheld under
paragraph (1).
(b) Release of Amounts at End of the Congress.--In order to ensure
that this section is carried out in a manner that shall not vary the
compensation of Senators or Representatives in violation of the twenty-
seventh article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States,
the payroll administrator of a House of Congress shall release for
payments 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 Sixteenth Congress.
(c) Role of Secretary of the Treasury.--The Secretary of the
Treasury shall provide the payroll administrators of the Houses of
Congress with such assistance as may be necessary to enable the payroll
administrators to carry out this section.
(d) Payroll Administrator Defined.--In this section, the ``payroll
administrator'' of 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.
(e) Exception for Days Occurring After General Election.--This
section does not apply with respect to any day during the One Hundred
Sixteenth Congress which occurs after the date of the regularly
scheduled general election for Federal office held in November 2020.
SEC. 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.
SEC. 5. MEMBER OF CONGRESS DEFINED.
In this Act, the term ``Member of Congress'' means an individual
serving in a position under subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of section
601(a) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 4501).
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