Requiring reduction of pay of Members of Congress if public debt limit is reached

(a) Reduction of Pay for Each Day of Government Shutdown (1) In general If on any day during a year the public debt limit is reached, 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— (A) an amount equal to one day’s worth of pay under such annual rate; and (B) the number of 24-hour periods during which the public debt limit is reached. (2) Effective date This subsection shall apply with respect to days occurring after the date of the regularly scheduled general election for Federal office held in November 2026. (b) Special rule for One Hundred Nineteenth Congress (1) Holding Salaries in Escrow If on any day during the One Hundred Nineteenth Congress the public debt limit is reached, the payroll administrator of that House of Congress shall— (A) 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— (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 public debt limit is reached which occur during the pay period; 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 Members of Congress 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 subsection on the last day of the One Hundred Nineteenth Congress. (3) Exception for days occurring after general election This subsection does not apply with respect to any day during the One Hundred Nineteenth Congress which occurs after the date of the regularly scheduled general election for Federal office held in November 2026. (c) Determination of reaching of public debt limit For purposes of this section, the public debt limit shall be considered to be reached if the Federal Government is unable to make payments or meet obligations because the public debt limit under section 3101 of title 31, United States Code, has been reached.