H.R. 1973 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent 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 within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned, Mar 10, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryCongress loses pay during shutdowns or debt crises
This bill would withhold paychecks from Members of Congress for any day there's a government shutdown or the country hits its borrowing limit. For the current Congress, the withheld pay gets held in escrow and released at the end of their term. For future Congresses, members simply won't receive pay for those days.
How it affects you
This doesn't directly change anything in your daily life, but it's designed to create financial pressure on Congress to avoid shutdowns and debt ceiling crises. Taxpayers foot the bill for Congressional salaries, so the goal is to give lawmakers an incentive to reach agreement quickly when these situations happen.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Mar 10, 2025)
No Pay for Congress During Default or Shutdown Act
This bill withholds or eliminates the pay of Members of Congress for any day that the public debt limit is reached or there is a government shutdown.
During the 119th Congress, any salary earned by Members during these events must be held in escrow and released on the last day of that Congress. For subsequent Congresses, a Member shall not be paid for any day that these events occur. (Some exceptions apply.)
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 1973
A BILL
No Pay for Congress During Default or Shutdown Act
Sponsor: Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-VA-7) · Introduced Mar 10, 2025 · Congress · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Mar 10, 2025: “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 within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.”