text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Pay Accountability Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. WITHHOLDING OF PAY OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IF GOVERNMENT 
                SHUTDOWN IS IN EFFECT OR PUBLIC DEBT LIMIT IS REACHED.
  
      (a) Holding Salaries in Escrow.--If during any pay period during a 
  Congress a Government shutdown is in effect or the public debt limit is 
  reached, the payroll administrator of a House of Congress shall--
              (1) withhold from the payments otherwise required to be 
          made with respect to the pay period for the compensation of 
          each Member of Congress who serves in that House of Congress an 
          amount equal to the product of--
                      (A) an amount equal to one day's worth of pay under 
                  the annual rate of pay applicable to the Member under 
                  section 601(a) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 
                  1946 (2 U.S.C. 31) for the pay period; and
                      (B) the number of 24-hour periods during which the 
                  Government shutdown is in effect or the public debt 
                  limit is reached (as the case may be) which occur 
                  during the pay period; and
              (2) deposit in an escrow account all amounts withheld under 
          paragraph (1).
      (b) Transfer to Secretary of the Treasury at End of the Congress.--
              (1) Transfer.--The payroll administrator of a House of 
          Congress shall transfer to the Secretary of the Treasury any 
          amounts remaining in any escrow account under this section on 
          the last day of the Congress involved.
              (2) Requiring amounts to be used for deficit reduction.--
          Any amounts transferred to the Secretary of the Treasury under 
          paragraph (1) shall be deposited in the Treasury and used for 
          deficit reduction.
      (c) Role of Secretary of the Treasury.--The Secretary of the 
  Treasury shall provide the payroll administrators of the Houses of 
  Congress with such assistance as may be necessary to enable the payroll 
  administrators to carry out this section.
      (d) Definitions.--In this section--
              (1) the term ``Member of Congress'' means an individual 
          serving in a position under subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of 
          section 601(a) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 
          U.S.C. 31); and
              (2) the ``payroll administrator'' of a House of Congress 
          means--
                      (A) in the case of the House of Representatives, 
                  the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of 
                  Representatives, or an employee of the Office of the 
                  Chief Administrative Officer who is designated by the 
                  Chief Administrative Officer to carry out this section; 
                  and
                      (B) in the case of the Senate, the Secretary of the 
                  Senate, or an employee of the Office of the Secretary 
                  of the Senate who is designated by the Secretary to 
                  carry out this section.
  
  SEC. 3. WITHHOLDING OF PAY OF PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT IF 
                GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN OCCURS OR PUBLIC DEBT LIMIT IS 
                REACHED.
  
      (a) Holding Salaries in Escrow.--If during any pay period during a 
  President's or Vice President's term of office a Government shutdown is 
  in effect or the public debt limit is reached, the White House Office 
  shall--
              (1) withhold from the payments otherwise required to be 
          made with respect to the pay period for the compensation of the 
          President or the Vice President an amount equal to the product 
          of--
                      (A) an amount equal to one day's worth of pay under 
                  the annual rate of compensation of the President under 
                  102 of title 3, United States Code, or the annual rate 
                  of salary of the Vice President under section 104 of 
                  title 3, United States Code (as the case may be), for 
                  the pay period; and
                      (B) the number of 24-hour periods during which the 
                  Government shutdown is in effect or the public debt 
                  limit is reached (as the case may be) which occur 
                  during the pay period; and
              (2) deposit in an escrow account all amounts withheld under 
          paragraph (1).
      (b) Role of Secretary of the Treasury.--The Secretary of the 
  Treasury shall provide the White House Office with such assistance as 
  may be necessary to enable the White House Office to carry out this 
  section.
      (c) Transfer to Secretary of the Treasury at End of Term of 
  Office.--
              (1) Transfer.--The White House Office shall transfer to the 
          Secretary of the Treasury any amounts remaining in any escrow 
          account under this section on the last day of the President's 
          or Vice President's term of office involved.
              (2) Requiring amounts to be used for deficit reduction.--
          Any amounts transferred to the Secretary of the Treasury under 
          paragraph (1) shall be deposited in the Treasury and used for 
          deficit reduction.
  
  SEC. 4. DETERMINATIONS.
  
      (a) Government Shutdown.--For purposes of this Act, a Government 
  shutdown shall be considered to be in effect if there is a lapse in 
  appropriations for any Federal agency or department as a result of a 
  failure to enact a regular appropriations bill or continuing 
  resolution.
      (b) Public Debt Limit.--For purposes of this Act, the public debt 
  limit shall be considered to be reached if the Federal Government is 
  unable to make payments or meet obligations because the public debt 
  limit under section 3101 of title 31, United States Code, has been 
  reached.
target: Pay Accountability Act - Requires the pay of Members of Congress, the President, and the Vice President to be withheld during any period of: (1) a lapse in appropriations for any federal agency as a result of a failure to enact a regular appropriations bill or continuing resolution, or (2) the federal government's inability to make payments or meet obligations because the public debt limit. Provides for such withheld amounts to be deposited in an escrow account to be transferred (on the last day of the Congress involved with respect to a Member, or the last day of the term of office involved with respect to the President or Vice President) to the Secretary of the Treasury and deposited in the Treasury for deficit reduction.
feat_title: Pay Accountability Act