Bill · H.R. 518· House(119-HR-518)
Troops Before Politicians Act
- Introduced
- 1/16/2025
- Last activity
- 1/16/2025 — Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
- Sponsored by
- Nick LaLota
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, titled the "Troops Before Politicians Act," aims to withhold the pay of Members of Congress under specific circumstances. If members of the Armed Forces, including reserve components, are not receiving their due pay because of a lapse in appropriations, the payroll administrator must withhold the compensation of Members of Congress. These withheld funds are to be deposited into an escrow account. The funds are released once the pay lapse for the military terminates. For the 119th Congress, a special rule ensures funds are released by the final day of that Congress to comply with the Constitution. The Secretary of the Treasury is tasked with assisting payroll administrators in carrying out this Act.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Protection of Military Pay: The bill addresses situations where members of the Armed Forces are not receiving pay due to a lapse in appropriations (Section 2(a)). This ensures that the issue of unpaid service members is directly linked to the compensation of Members of Congress.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Withholding of Congressional Compensation: The payroll administrator is required to withhold payments for each Member of Congress during periods when service members are not receiving pay (Section 2(a)(1)). This results in the temporary loss of pay for those serving in the House of Congress.
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Delayed Access to Funds: Payments held in escrow are only released after the pay lapse described in the bill terminates (Section 2(b)(1)), meaning the funds are tied up until the military pay issue is resolved.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
No significant interests or groups are affected by this bill.
- 1/16/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
- Introduced in House