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HR 3234 113th Congress House

Pay Accountability Act

Official title: To withhold the pay of Members of Congress, the President, and the Vice President if a Government shutdown is in effect or the Government is unable to make pay… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To withhold the pay of Members of Congress, the President, and the Vice President if a Government shutdown is in effect or the Government is unable to make payments or meet obligations because the public debt limit has been reached, and for other purposes.

Introduced: October 2, 2013 See on congress.gov
Government Operations and Politics AppropriationsBudget deficits and national debtBudget processExecutive agency funding and structure
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Government employee pay, benefits, personnel managementMembers of CongressPresidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
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This bill died when the 113th Congress ended
It never became law before the 113th Congress (2013–2014) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Oct 2, 2013
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, 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.
Oct 2, 2013
Introduced in House
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 Latest action October 2, 2013

Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, 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.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Pay Accountability Act - Requires the pay of Members of Congress, the President, and the Vice President to be withheld during any period of: (1) a lapse in appropriations for any federal agency as a result of a failure to enact a regular appropriations bill or continuing resolution, or (2) the federal government's inability to make payments or meet obligations because the public debt limit.

Provides for such withheld amounts to be deposited in an escrow account to be transferred (on the last day of the Congress involved with respect to a Member, or the last day of the term of office involved with respect to the President or Vice President) to the Secretary of the Treasury and deposited in the Treasury for deficit reduction.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • HR 3236 Related bill Hold Congress Accountable Act
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 3234: Pay Accountability Act. 113th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-3234/
MLA
"H.R. 3234: Pay Accountability Act." 113th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-3234/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 3234, 113th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-3234/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 3234: Pay Accountability Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-3234/)
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