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HRES892119th Congress

Authorizing the Speaker of the House of Representatives to initiate or intervene in civil actions on behalf of the House of Representatives regarding section 213 of title II of division C of the Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026.

Sponsored By: Representative Rose, John W. [R-TN-6]

Introduced

Summary

Authorizes the House Speaker to file or join lawsuits challenging Section 213 as a 27th Amendment pay change. It would let the Speaker hire outside counsel, require public reporting of legal expenses, and permit a demand for reimbursement from Senate funds if courts rule Section 213 unconstitutional.

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  • Gives the Speaker authority to initiate or intervene in federal litigation on behalf of the House and to keep the House regularly informed about developments.
  • Directs the Office of the General Counsel to represent the House and allows hiring outside lawyers and experts. The chair of the House Administration Committee must publish the aggregate amounts spent on outside counsel in the Congressional Record within 30 days after any calendar quarter when they are used.
  • If a court holds Section 213 unconstitutional, allows the Speaker to tally House litigation costs and send a formal letter demanding reimbursement from funds allocated to the Senate, with that letter entered into the Congressional Record.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

House can sue over pay provision

If adopted, this resolution would let the Speaker start or join federal lawsuits on behalf of the House to argue that a specific pay-related law (section 213) violates the 27th Amendment. The House Office of General Counsel would represent the House and could hire outside lawyers and experts to help. The Speaker would have to notify the House when they decide to start or join such a case and keep Members regularly updated about progress. The chair of the Committee on House Administration would have to publish, within 30 days after the last day of any quarter when outside counsel or experts were used, a statement in the Congressional Record showing the total amounts paid for those services. If a court finds section 213 unconstitutional in that litigation, the Speaker could total the House's litigation costs and send a formal letter to the Senate majority leader asking for reimbursement from Senate funds and enter that letter into the Congressional Record.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Rose, John W. [R-TN-6]

TN • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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