H.R. __ is expected to be considered on the floor of the House on Tuesday, April 27, 2010 under a motion to suspend the rules, requiring a two-thirds majority vote for passage. The bill is expected to be introduced by Rep. Harry Mitchell (D-AZ) on April 27, 2010, and referred to the Committee on House Administration, which took no official action.
Note: The text of this bill has not yet been made available by the majority. This Legislative Digest reflects what the legislation is expected to contain, but is subject to change and will be updated if necessary when text is released.
H.R. __ would eliminate the automatic cost of living pay adjustment Members of Congress are scheduled to receive in January 2011.
Under the Ethics Reform Act of 1989, Members of Congress receive an automatic pay adjustment which is determined by a formula based on the Employment Cost Index. According to the Congressional Research Service, Members would receive a 0.9 percent pay increase at the beginning of 2011 under the current method for determining adjustments, increasing salaries from $174,000 to $175,600. In 2010 Members did not receive a pay adjustment as a result of a provision in the FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act. Since the 1989 Ethics Reform Act was passed, annual pay increases have been accepted by Congress 13 times and rejected through legislative action seven times.
A CBO score for H.R. __ was not yet available at press time.
