H.R. 26 – No Work, No Pay Act of 2019

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Updated April 13, 2026 at 11:37 PM UTC

The No Work, No Pay Act of 2019 would stop members of Congress from being paid for days when a federal government shutdown is in effect. It calculates the deduction by removing one day’s salary for each 24‑hour shutdown period that falls within a member’s pay cycle. The bill applies to all House and Senate members and requires Treasury assistance to implement the payroll changes.

Key Provisions

If a government shutdown occurs on any day of a member’s pay period, that member’s pay is reduced by one day’s salary for each 24‑hour shutdown day in that period.
The House Chief Administrative Officer (or designated staff) and the Senate Secretary (or designated staff) are responsible for making the pay adjustments.
The Treasury Secretary must help the congressional payroll offices carry out the deductions.
A shutdown is defined as a lapse in appropriations for any federal agency caused by not passing a regular appropriations bill or continuing resolution.
The rule applies to all members of Congress as defined by the Legislative Reorganization Act and takes effect starting with the 117th Congress and thereafter.

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

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

Committee on House Administration

January 3, 2019

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 3, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

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

Committee on House Administration

January 3, 2019

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued January 3, 2019

I

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 26

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 3, 2019

Mr. Curtis introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and 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

A BILL

To prohibit the pay of Members of Congress during periods in which a Government shutdown is in effect, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the No Work, No Pay Act of 2019.

2.

Prohibiting pay of Members of Congress in response to government shutdown

(a)

Prohibition of Pay

If on any day during a pay period a Government shutdown is in effect, the payroll administrator of each House of Congress shall exclude from the payments otherwise required to be made with respect to that pay period for the compensation of each Member of Congress who serves in that House of Congress an amount equal to the product of—

(1)

an amount equal to one day’s worth of pay under the annual rate of pay applicable to the Member under section 601(a) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 4501); and

(2)

the number of 24-hour periods during which the Government shutdown is in effect which occur during the pay period.

(b)

Role of Secretary of the Treasury

The Secretary of the Treasury shall provide the payroll administrators of the Houses of Congress with such assistance as may be necessary to enable the payroll administrators to carry out this section.

(c)

Payroll administrator defined

In this section, the payroll administrator of a House of Congress means—

(1)

in the case of the House of Representatives, the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives, or an employee of the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer who is designated by the Chief Administrative Officer to carry out this section; and

(2)

in the case of the Senate, the Secretary of the Senate, or an employee of the Office of the Secretary of the Senate who is designated by the Secretary to carry out this section.

(d)

Effective date

This section shall apply with respect to days occurring during the One Hundred Seventeenth Congress and each succeeding Congress.

3.

Determination of Government shutdown

For purposes of this Act, a Government shutdown shall be considered to be in effect if there is a lapse in appropriations for any Federal agency or department as a result of a failure to enact a regular appropriations bill or continuing resolution.

4.

Member of Congress defined

In this Act, the term Member of Congress means an individual serving in a position under subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of section 601(a) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 4501).