A bill to repeal the provision of law that provides automatic pay adjustments for Members of Congress.
Summary
SB 86 would repeal the statutory provision that automatically adjusts the salaries of Members of Congress. Under current law, congressional pay can be increased through an automatic mechanism tied to the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946; this bill removes that mechanism and replaces it with language indicating congressional pay would be adjusted only as otherwise provided by law. The bill also makes technical and conforming changes to the affected section of federal law and specifies that the repeal would take effect when the 120th Congress convenes.
In practical terms, the bill would change how future congressional pay raises are authorized, eliminating automatic annual adjustments for lawmakers unless Congress affirmatively enacts a different pay-setting law. It would amend 2 U.S.C. 4501, the statute governing congressional compensation adjustments, and would affect Members of Congress by making salary changes subject to explicit legislative action rather than automatic indexing.
Impact
The bill would amend federal law governing legislative compensation by repealing the automatic pay-adjustment provision in the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 and revising related statutory references. If enacted, congressional salaries would no longer rise automatically under that mechanism, and any future changes would have to come through separate legislation or another lawful pay-setting process. The measure directly affects Members of Congress and the statutory framework for congressional compensation, but it does not alter pay rules for other federal employees or agencies.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available context, the overall sentiment appears to be strongly favorable to limiting or eliminating automatic congressional pay increases. The bill was introduced by Senator Rick Scott and referred to committee without recorded opposition or committee debate in the provided materials. The framing of the measure suggests a reform-oriented, anti-automatic-raise posture that is likely intended to appeal to voters skeptical of congressional self-compensation.
Contention
The main point of contention is the broader policy question of whether congressional pay should be insulated from politics through automatic adjustments or instead require affirmative congressional action. Supporters are likely to argue that ending automatic raises increases accountability and public trust, while opponents may contend that removing the mechanism could politicize compensation decisions and make it harder to keep pay aligned with inflation or comparable public-sector standards. No specific committee objections or recorded votes are provided, so the dispute is inferred from the subject matter rather than from documented debate.
No Pay Raise for Congress Act This bill cancels the automatic adjustment to the pay of Members of Congress that is based on the employment cost index if the Congressional Budget Office determines that there was a federal budget deficit in the last fiscal year.
Budget Process Enhancement Act This bill modifies the federal budget process to withhold the salaries of Members of Congress and cancel the salaries of certain employees of the Office of Management and Budget when certain budget process requirements are not met. The bill also changes the assumptions that the Congressional Budget Office uses to calculate its baseline for discretionary spending to eliminate certain adjustments for inflation and other factors. (A baseline is a projection of federal spending and receipts during a fiscal year under current law.)
Budget Process Enhancement Act This bill modifies the federal budget process to withhold the salaries of Members of Congress and cancel the salaries of certain employees of the Office of Management and Budget when certain budget process requirements are not met. The bill also changes the assumptions that the Congressional Budget Office uses to calculate its baseline for discretionary spending to eliminate certain adjustments for inflation and other factors. (A baseline is a projection of federal spending and receipts during a fiscal year under current law.)
Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1908) to prohibit stock trading and ownership by Members of Congress and their spouses and dependent children, and for other purposes.
Protection from Obamacare Mandates and Congressional Equity Act This bill alters provisions relating to the requirement to maintain minimum essential health care coverage (i.e., the individual mandate), as well as provisions relating to health care coverage for certain executive branch and congressional employees. Specifically, the bill exempts individuals from the requirement to maintain minimum essential health care coverage if they reside in a county where fewer than two health insurers offer insurance on the health insurance exchange. Under current law, there is no penalty for failing to maintain minimum essential health care coverage. The bill also requires certain executive branch and congressional employees to participate in health insurance exchanges. Under current law, Members of Congress and their designated staff are required to obtain coverage through health insurance exchanges, rather than the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) Program. Current regulations authorize government contributions toward such coverage and require Members of Congress to designate which members of their staff are required to obtain coverage through an exchange. The bill requires all congressional staff, including employees of congressional committees and leadership offices, to obtain coverage through an exchange. The bill also prohibits Members of Congress from having the discretion to determine which of their employees are eligible to enroll through an exchange. Further, the President, Vice President, and executive branch political appointees must also obtain coverage through exchanges, rather than FEHB. The government is prohibited from contributing to or subsidizing the health insurance coverage of the officials and employees subject to this requirement, including Members of Congress and their staff.