Statutory Term Limits on Congressional Pay and Power Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9230
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Congress
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-09: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and Rules, 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.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-01T18:35:46Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation, titled the Statutory Term Limits on Congressional Pay and Power Act, aims to restrict certain benefits and positions for Members of Congress after they accumulate 12 years of service in either the House of Representatives or the Senate.
Key Provisions
- Members who reach 12 cumulative years of service in their chamber become ineligible for compensation under existing pay statutes.
- Such Members may no longer serve as chair or ranking minority member of any standing or select committee.
- They are also barred from holding specified House or Senate leadership positions, including heads of offices funded under “House Leadership Offices” appropriations and roles such as President pro Tempore, Majority/Minority Leader, Whip, or conference/policy committee chairs in the Senate.
- The restrictions apply starting with the 121st Congress and continue thereafter.
- The measure is enacted as an exercise of each chamber’s rulemaking authority and may be altered by future rule changes.
Significant Changes to Existing Law Current law permits Members to receive full compensation and hold committee leadership or other leadership roles without regard to length of service. This bill introduces a new statutory cutoff that eliminates pay and restricts positional authority after 12 years, representing a departure from unlimited tenure in these benefits and roles.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: Primarily affects congressional operations, including committee structures and leadership continuity within the legislative branch.
- Citizens: Could influence representation by encouraging turnover in influential positions while allowing continued service without pay or leadership authority.
- International relations: No direct provisions address foreign policy or diplomacy.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Current and future Members of Congress (including Delegates and Resident Commissioners).
- Congressional committees and their leadership.
- House and Senate leadership offices.
- Congressional staff and support offices that manage payroll and committee assignments.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The bill explicitly recognizes each chamber’s constitutional authority to modify its internal rules. By framing the restrictions as procedural rules rather than outright prohibitions on service, it seeks to operate within Congress’s rulemaking power while still imposing practical limits on pay and authority. The measure does not impose term limits on holding office itself, only on compensation and certain positions.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-09: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and Rules, 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.
- 2026-06-09: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and Rules, 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.
- 2026-06-09: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and Rules, 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.
- 2026-06-09: Introduced in House
- 2026-06-09: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Statutory Term Limits on Congressional Pay and Power Act — issued 2026-06-09 — PDF (4 pages)