US HB209

Members of Congress would have their salaries held in escrow if their chamber fails to pass all regular appropriation bills by the first day of the fiscal year, beginning with fiscal year 2026

Escrow period continues until either all appropriation bills pass or the end of the two-year Congress, at which point withheld salaries are released to comply with the 27th Amendment

Applies separately to the House and Senate, affecting only members of the chamber that failed to meet the deadline

Secretary of the Treasury must assist payroll administrators (Chief Administrative Officer for the House, Secretary of the Senate for the Senate) in implementing the escrow system

"Regular appropriation bills" are defined as annual spending bills under jurisdiction of single Appropriations subcommittees in each chamber