What This Bill Does
This bill stops the federal government from paying certain high-ranking political employees during a specific time period if the President submits the yearly budget plan to Congress late. The bill is called the "Presidential Accountability for Yearly Submission of The United States' Budget Act" or the "PAYSTUB Act."
Who It Affects
Political employees in the executive branch (the part of government run by the President), specifically those in high-ranking positions like cabinet secretaries and their top appointees.
Key Provisions
• If the President does not submit the budget to Congress by the first Monday in February, no federal money can be used to pay the salaries or expenses of political employees from the first Tuesday in February until the budget is actually submitted. (Sec. 2)
• Political employees whose pay is withheld must receive their full salary at their normal rate as soon as possible after the budget is submitted, even if this is outside their regular payday schedule. (Sec. 2)
• The rule applies to three types of political employees: those in the Executive Schedule (very top positions), those in noncareer Senior Executive Service appointments, and those in confidential or policy-making positions under Schedule C. (Sec. 2)
What Changes
Federal money cannot be spent on salaries or expenses for certain political employees during the period between the first Tuesday in February and when the President submits the budget, if that submission is late.
Important Definitions
"Political employee" means individuals in specific high-ranking government positions as described in federal law.
Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 304
To amend title 31, United States Code, to limit the use of Federal funds
for the salaries or expenses of political employees if the President’s
annual budget submission to Congress is late, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
FEBRUARY 7, 2023
Mr. MARSHALL introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
A BILL
To amend title 31, United States Code, to limit the use
of Federal funds for the salaries or expenses of political
employees if the President’s annual budget submission
to Congress is late, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Presidential Account-
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ability for Yearly Submission of The United States’ Budg-
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et Act’’ or the ‘‘PAYSTUB Act’’.
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•S 304 IS
SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS FOR PO-
1
LITICAL
EMPLOYEE
SALARIES
AND
EX-
2
PENSES IF PRESIDENT’S BUDGET IS LATE.
3
Section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, is
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amended by adding at the end the following:
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‘‘(j)(1) If the budget under subsection (a) is not sub-
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mitted to Congress on or before the first Monday in Feb-
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ruary of a year, for service by any political appointee dur-
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ing the period beginning on the first Tuesday of February
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of such year and ending on the date the budget is sub-
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mitted, no Federal funds may be obligated or expended
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for the salary or expenses of the political employee.
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‘‘(2) Each political employee whose salary and ex-
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penses are not paid by operation of paragraph (1) shall
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be paid for the period the limitation under such paragraph
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was in effect at the employee’s standard rate of pay, at
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the earliest date possible after such period ends, regardless
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of scheduled pay dates.
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‘‘(3) In this subsection, the term ‘political employee’
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means any individual—
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‘‘(A) occupying a position described under sec-
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tions 5312 through 5316 of title 5 (relating to the
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Executive Schedule);
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‘‘(B) serving under a noncareer appointment in
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the Senior Executive Service, as defined under para-
25
graph (7) of section 3132(a) of such title; or
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•S 304 IS
‘‘(C) occupying a position in the executive
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branch of the Government of a confidential or pol-
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icy-determining character under schedule C of sub-
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part C of part 213 of title 5, Code of Federal Regu-
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lations.’’.
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Æ
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