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HR 4476 114th Congress House

Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2016

Official title: To provide that the rates of pay for Members of Congress shall be reduced following any fiscal year in which there is a Federal deficit.

Introduced: February 4, 2016 See on congress.gov
Congress Budget deficits and national debtGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementMembers of Congress
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This bill died when the 114th Congress ended
It never became law before the 114th Congress (2015–2016) 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
Feb 4, 2016
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.
Feb 4, 2016
Introduced in House
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 Latest action February 4, 2016

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

Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2016

This bill declares that, if there is a federal budget deficit in a fiscal year, then:

  • any pay adjustment for Members of Congress scheduled to take effect under the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 in the succeeding calendar year shall be null and void; and
  • effective as of the first day of the first pay period beginning in that year, the rates of basic pay for Members shall be reduced (from the rate in effect), but not below zero, by an amount prescribed according to the following formula.

The reduction required under this Act is as follows:

  • if the reduction is to take effect in a calendar year that does not immediately follow another calendar year in which a reduction was made, the reduced amount shall be equal to 5% of the rate of basic pay last in effect before the reduction is made; or
  • if the reduction is to take effect in a calendar year that immediately follows another calendar year in which a reduction was made, the reduced amount shall be equal to 10% of the rate of basic pay last in effect before the most recent reduction was made.

If, following one or more years in which Members' pay is reduced, a fiscal year occurs in which there is no deficit, then, effective as of the first day of the first pay period in the succeeding calendar year:

  • rates of basic pay for Members shall be restored to the highest rate at any time previously payable; and
  • pay adjustments scheduled to take effect on or after that first day shall be effective.
 Related & companion bills 1
  • HR 4512 Reintroduced Bill Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2017
 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. 4476: Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2016. 114th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-4476/
MLA
"H.R. 4476: Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2016." 114th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-4476/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4476, 114th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-4476/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4476: Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2016](https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-4476/)
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