I 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3189 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 13, 2009 Mr. Heller (for himself, Mr. Tiberi, Mr. Chaffetz, Mr. Latta, Mrs. Lummis, and Mr. Roskam) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration A BILL To prohibit any increase in the amount established for the Members’ Representational Allowance during a period of high unemployment and public debt.

1.

Short Title

This Act may be cited as the Reduction of Irresponsible MRA Growth Act or the TRIM Growth Act.

2.

Prohibiting Increase in Members’ Representational Allowance During Period of High Unemployment and Public Debt

(a)

In General

Section 101 of the House of Representatives Administrative Reform Technical Corrections Act (2 U.S.C. 57b) is amended— (1)by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and (2)by inserting after subsection (d) the following new subsection: (e)

Prohibiting Increase During Periods of High Unemployment and Public Debt

The Members’ Representational Allowance established for a fiscal year may not exceed the Members’ Representational Allowance established for the previous fiscal year unless— (1)the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes a national unemployment rate of 6 percent or lower for each of the 6 most recent months for which the Bureau published a national unemployment rate which occurred prior to the beginning of the fiscal year; or (2)the Secretary of the Treasury certifies to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and Senate that the amount of the public debt (as referred to in section 3101 of title 31, United States Code) is not greater than $5,500,000,000,000 as of the first day of the last month of the previous fiscal year. . (b)

Effective Date

The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to fiscal year 2010 and each succeeding fiscal year.