I 112th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2653 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 26, 2011 Mr. Cooper (for himself, Mr. Kind, Mr. Welch, Mr. Cuellar, Mr. Costa, Mr. Thompson of California, Mr. Donnelly of Indiana, Mr. Altmire, Mr. Matheson, Mr. Boswell, Mr. Schrader, Mr. Boren, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Shuler, Mr. Kissell, Mr. Carney, and Mr. Himes) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration A BILL To provide that Members of Congress shall be paid last whenever the Treasury is unable to liquidate the obligations of the United States Government in a timely manner because the public debt limit has been reached.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Stop Pay for Members Act.

2.

Members of Congress to be paid last

(a)

In general

In the event that the public debt of the United States Government reaches the public debt limit, the obligation to pay basic pay of Members of Congress may not be liquidated until— (1)all other obligations of the United States Government which are then due have been liquidated; or (2)if earlier, the ability of the Treasury to liquidate the obligations of the United States Government in timely manner is restored, whether by an increase in the public debt limit or otherwise. (b)

Consent

Each Member of Congress consents and agrees that payment of basic pay in accordance with subsection (a) shall constitute a full and complete discharge and acquittance of all claims and demands for service as such a Member during the period covered by the payment.

3.

Definitions

For purposes of this Act— (1)the term public debt limit means the dollar limitation contained in section 3101(b) of title 31, United States Code; and (2)the term Member of Congress means— (A)each Senator, Member of the House of Representatives, and Delegate to the House of Representatives, and the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico; (B)the President pro tempore of the Senate, the majority leader and the minority leader of the Senate, and the majority leader and the minority leader of the House of Representatives; and (C)the Speaker of the House of Representatives.