[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5993 Introduced in House (IH)]
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114th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5993
To prohibit the use of funds provided for the official travel expenses
of Members of Congress and other officers and employees of the
legislative branch for airline accommodations which are not coach-class
accommodations, to prohibit the use of official funds for long-term
vehicle leases for Members of Congress, to prohibit the use of the
Members' Representational Allowance for expenses of official mail of
any material other than a document transmitted under the official
letterhead of the Member involved, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 12, 2016
Mr. Ashford introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on
Oversight and Government 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 use of funds provided for the official travel expenses
of Members of Congress and other officers and employees of the
legislative branch for airline accommodations which are not coach-class
accommodations, to prohibit the use of official funds for long-term
vehicle leases for Members of Congress, to prohibit the use of the
Members' Representational Allowance for expenses of official mail of
any material other than a document transmitted under the official
letterhead of the Member involved, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Congressional Accountability Now
Act'' or the ``CAN Act''.
SEC. 2. PROHIBITING USE OF FUNDS FOR OFFICIAL TRAVEL EXPENSES OF
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND LEGISLATIVE BRANCH EMPLOYEES FOR
AIRLINE ACCOMMODATIONS OTHER THAN COACH-CLASS.
(a) Prohibition.--Except as provided in subsection (b), no funds
appropriated or otherwise made available for the official travel
expenses of a Member of Congress or other officer or employee of any
office in the legislative branch may be used for airline accommodations
which are not coach-class accommodations.
(b) Exceptions.--Funds described in subsection (a) may be used for
airline accommodations which are not coach-class accommodations for an
individual described in subsection (a) if the use of the funds for such
accommodations would be permitted under sections 301-10.121 through
301-10.125 of title 41 of the Code of Federal Regulations if the
individual were an employee of an agency which is subject to chapter
301 of such title.
(c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be construed
to affect any officer or employee of an office of the legislative
branch which, as of the date of the enactment of this Act, is subject
to chapter 301 of title 41 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(d) Definitions.--
(1) Coach-class accommodations.--In this section, the term
``coach-class accommodations'' means the basic class of
accommodation by airlines that is normally the lowest fare
offered regardless of airline terminology used, and (as
referred to by airlines) may include tourist class or economy
class, as well as single class when the airline offers only one
class of accommodations to all travelers.
(2) Member of congress.--In this section, the term ``Member
of Congress'' means a Senator or a Representative in, or
Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress.
SEC. 3. PROHIBITING USE OF FUNDS FOR LONG-TERM VEHICLE LEASES BY
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
(a) Prohibition.--No funds appropriated or otherwise made available
during a fiscal year for the operations of a House of Congress,
including the official and representational expenses of a Member of
Congress or the expenses of a committee or leadership office of a House
of Congress, may be used for the long-term leasing of a vehicle.
(b) Member of Congress Defined.--In this section, the term ``Member
of Congress'' means a Senator or a Representative in, or Delegate or
Resident Commissioner to, the Congress.
SEC. 4. RESTRICTING USE OF FRANK BY MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES.
Section 311(e) of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1991
(2 U.S.C. 503(e)) is amended by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
``(3) Funds of the House of Representatives may not be used for
official mail of a Member of the House of Representatives for any
material other than a document transmitted under the official
letterhead used for the Member's stationery.''.
SEC. 5. REDUCTION IN PAY AND ELIMINATION OF AUTOMATIC PAY INCREASES FOR
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
(a) In General.--Section 601(a) of the Legislative Reorganization
Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 4501) is amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 601. (a) Effective as of the beginning of the first
applicable pay period commencing after the date of the first regularly
scheduled general election for Federal office which is held after the
date of the enactment of the Congressional Accountability Now Act, the
annual rate of pay for--
``(1) each Senator, Member of the House of Representatives,
and Delegate to the House of Representatives, and the Resident
Commissioner from Puerto Rico,
``(2) the President pro tempore of the Senate, the majority
leader and the minority leader of the Senate, and the majority
leader and the minority leader of the House of Representatives,
and
``(3) the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
shall be equal to the annual rate of pay for that position as of the
date on which such general election is held, reduced by 10 percent.''.
(b) Effective Date.--Subsection (a) shall take effect on the date
of the first regularly scheduled general election for Federal office
which is held after the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 6. TERMINATION OF CERTAIN RETIREMENT BENEFITS FOR MEMBERS OF
CONGRESS.
(a) Amendments Relating to the Civil Service Retirement System.--
(1) In general.--Subchapter III of chapter 83 of title 5,
United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 8335
the following:
``Sec. 8335a. Termination of further retirement coverage of Members of
Congress
``(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this
subchapter and subject to subsection (f), effective as of the date of
enactment of this section--
``(1) a Member shall not be subject to this subchapter for
any further period of time; and
``(2) no further Government contributions or deductions
from basic pay may be made with respect to such Member for
deposit in the Treasury of the United States to the credit of
the Fund.
``(b) Prior Rights Not Affected.--Nothing in subsection (a) shall
be considered to nullify, modify, or otherwise affect any right,
entitlement, or benefit under this subchapter with respect to any
Member covering any period prior to the date of enactment of this
section.
``(c) Right To Participate in Thrift Savings Plan Not Affected.--
Nothing in subsection (a) shall affect the eligibility of a Member to
participate in the Thrift Savings Plan in accordance with otherwise
applicable provisions of law.
``(d) Regulations.--Any regulations necessary to carry out this
section may--
``(1) except with respect to matters under paragraph (2),
be prescribed by the Director of the Office of Personnel
Management; and
``(2) with respect to matters relating to the Thrift
Savings Plan, be prescribed by the Executive Director (as
defined by section 8401(13)).
``(e) Exclusion.--For purposes of this section, the term `Member'
does not include the Vice President.
``(f) Opt-In.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment
of this section, a Member covered by this subchapter as of such date of
enactment may elect, by giving notice in writing to the official by
whom such Member is paid, to remain subject to this subchapter.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of chapter 83 of title 5, United States Code, is
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 8335
the following:
``8335a. Termination of further retirement coverage of Members of
Congress.''.
(b) Amendments Relating to the Federal Employees' Retirement
System.--
(1) In general.--Subchapter II of chapter 84 of title 5,
United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 8425
the following:
``Sec. 8425a. Termination of further retirement coverage of Members of
Congress
``(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this
chapter, effective as of the date of enactment of this section--
``(1) subject to subsection (f), in the case of an
individual who first becomes a Member before such date of
enactment--
``(A) such Member shall not be subject to this
chapter for any further period of time after such date
of enactment; and
``(B) no further Government contributions or
deductions from basic pay may be made with respect to
such Member for deposit in the Treasury of the United
States to the credit of the Fund; and
``(2) in the case of an individual who first becomes a
Member on or after such date of enactment--
``(A) such Member shall not be subject to this
chapter; and
``(B) no Government contributions or deductions
from basic pay may be made with respect to such Member
for deposit in the Treasury of the United States to the
credit of the Fund.
``(b) Prior Rights Not Affected.--Nothing in subsection (a) shall
be considered to nullify, modify, or otherwise affect any right,
entitlement, or benefit under this chapter with respect to any Member
covering any period prior to the date of enactment of this section.
``(c) Right To Participate in Thrift Savings Plan Not Affected.--
Nothing in subsection (a) or (b) shall affect the eligibility of a
Member to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan in accordance with
otherwise applicable provisions of law.
``(d) Regulations.--
``(1) In general.--Any regulations necessary to carry out
this section may--
``(A) except with respect to matters under
subparagraph (B), be prescribed by the Director of the
Office of Personnel Management; and
``(B) with respect to matters relating to the
Thrift Savings Plan, be prescribed by the Executive
Director (as defined by section 8401(13)).
``(2) Refunds.--Notwithstanding subsection (b), the
regulations under paragraph (1)(A) shall, in the case of a
Member who has not completed at least 5 years of civilian
service as of the date of enactment of this section, provide
that the lump-sum credit shall be payable to such Member to the
same extent and in the same manner as if such Member satisfied
paragraphs (1) through (4) of section 8424(a) as of such date
of enactment.
``(e) Exclusions.--For purposes of this section, the term `Member'
does not include the Vice President.
``(f) Opt-In for Members.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
enactment of this section, a Member covered by this chapter as of such
date may elect, by giving notice in writing to the official by whom
such Member is paid, to remain subject to this chapter.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of chapter 84 of title 5, United States Code, is
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 8425
the following:
``8425a. Termination of further retirement coverage of Members of
Congress.''.
SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Act and the amendments made by this Act, other than sections 5
and 6, shall apply with respect to fiscal year 2017 and each succeeding
fiscal year.
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