To extend the pay limitation for Members of Congress and Federal employees.
Latest action · Feb 2, 2012 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedJan 27, 2012
- Passed HouseFeb 1, 2012
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)
Amends the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 (P.L. 111-242) to extend through December 31, 2013, the freeze on any cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to the pay of certain federal civilian employees (thus extends such freeze from two to three calendar years).
Extends through such date the prohibition against receipt by a senior executive or senior-level employee of any increase in the rate of basic pay absent a change of position that results in a substantial increase in responsibility or a promotion.
Applies the pay limit freeze to Members of Congress.
Declares that no statutory COLA for a legislative branch employee which would otherwise take effect during the period beginning on enactment of this Act and ending on December 31, 2013, shall be made.
Recorded votes 1
Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.
| Roll call | Question | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House 19 | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass | Passed309–117 | Feb 1, 2012 |
Cosponsors 4
Members who signed on, in the order they did. All signed on Jan 31, 2012.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-FL | Dennis A. Ross | Jan 31, 2012 | |
| I-MI | Justin Amash | Jan 31, 2012 | |
| R-PA | Michael G. Fitzpatrick | Jan 31, 2012 | |
| R-TX | Pete Olson | Jan 31, 2012 |
Committees 3
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Oversight and Government Reform Committee | Referred Jan 27, 2012 |
| House | Committee on House Administration | Referred Jan 27, 2012 |
| Senate | Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee | Referred Feb 2, 2012 |
Actions 10
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Feb 2, 2012Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- Feb 1, 2012Mr. Ross (FL) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Feb 1, 2012Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H304-312)
- Feb 1, 2012DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3835.
- Feb 1, 2012At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- Feb 1, 2012Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H354-355)
- Feb 1, 2012Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 309 - 117 (Roll no. 19). (text: CR H304)
- Feb 1, 2012Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Jan 27, 2012Introduced in House
- Jan 27, 2012Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, 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.
In the Congressional Record 5
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extensions | Debate and remarks E156 | Robert J. Wittman R-VA | Feb 7, 2012 |
| Extensions | Debate and remarks E145 | Betty McCollum D-MN | Feb 6, 2012 |
| House · Extensions | Debate and remarks E127, E130, E132, H460 | Carolyn B. Maloney D-NY, Dennis J. Kucinich D-OH, Pedro R. Pierluisi D-PR, Steny H. Hoyer D-MD | Feb 3, 2012 |
| House | Debate and remarks H391, H392 | Chris Van Hollen D-MD, Rob Woodall R-GA | Feb 2, 2012 |
| House | Debate and remarks H228, H230, H304–H312Text printed H304Recorded votes H354extend | Chris Van Hollen D-MD, Dennis A. Ross R-FL, Eddie Bernice Johnson D-TX, Eleanor Holmes Norton D-DC, Elijah E. Cummings D-MD, Frank R. Wolf R-VA, Gerald E. Connolly D-VA, Henry A. Waxman D-CA, James P. Moran D-VA, Jason Chaffetz R-UT, Nick J. Rahall II D-WV, Rush Holt D-NJ, Sean P. Duffy R-WI, Silvestre Reyes D-TX, Steny H. Hoyer D-MD, Stephen F. Lynch D-MA, Tom Marino R-PA, Virginia Foxx R-NC | Feb 1, 2012 |
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Constitutional authority
The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the page H187.
CRS reports 2
Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.
Cite it 2
Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| 97-1011 | Salaries of Members of Congress: Recent Actions and Historical Tables | Report | May 6, 2026 |
| 97-615 | Salaries of Members of Congress: Congressional Votes, 1990-2025 | Report | Aug 26, 2025 |
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| S 2079 | A bill to extend the pay limitation for Members of Congress and Federal employees. | Identical bill | Feb 9, 2012 |
Titles 1
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To extend the pay limitation for Members of Congress and Federal employees.
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Government Operations and Politics.
Text 3
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Feb 2, 2012Referred in Senate
- Feb 1, 2012Engrossed in House
- Jan 27, 2012Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
