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H.R. 396 113th Congress House

Congressional Pay Adjustment Act

Official title: To reduce the annual rates of pay for Members of Congress by 20 percent, and to prohibit an adjustment in such rates during a year unless the Federal Governmen… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To reduce the annual rates of pay for Members of Congress by 20 percent, and to prohibit an adjustment in such rates during a year unless the Federal Government did not run a deficit in the previous fiscal year.

Introduced: January 23, 2013 See on congress.gov
Congress Budget deficits and national debtCongressional oversightGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementInflation and pricesMembers of Congress
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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
Jan 23, 2013
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.
Jan 23, 2013
Introduced in House
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 Latest action January 23, 2013

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.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Congressional Pay Adjustment Act - Reduces the annual rate of pay in 2015 for Members of Congress by 20% of the 2013 pay rate. Maintains the pay rate for subsequent pay periods at the 2013 rate.

Prohibits a Member of Congress from receiving a cost-of-living adjustment under the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 during any fiscal year (beginning with FY2014) unless the Secretary of the Treasury reports to Congress (beginning with FY2013) that a federal budget deficit did not exist in the previous fiscal year.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • HR 391 Savings Start With Us Act of 2013
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 396: Congressional Pay Adjustment Act. 113th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-396/
MLA
"H.R. 396: Congressional Pay Adjustment Act." 113th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-396/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 396, 113th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-396/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 396: Congressional Pay Adjustment Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-396/)
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