Title 2, The CongressRelease 119-102
§4559 Certification of Indebtedness of Employees of House; Withholding of Amount
Title 2 › CHAPTER 45 — CONGRESSIONAL PAY AND BENEFITS › SUBCHAPTER II — HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES › Part B — Administration › § 4559
Summary
A committee chair or the House officer in charge can tell the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) when a House employee owes money and won't pay. The CAO may withhold that amount from any pay to or for the employee and credit it to the proper account. "Employee of the House of Representatives" means a legislative-branch worker whose pay the CAO handles.
Full Legal Text
Title 2, §4559
The Congress, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whenever an employee of the House of Representatives becomes indebted to the House of Representatives and fails to pay the indebtedness, the chairman of the committee or the elected officer of the House of Representatives that has jurisdiction over the activity under which the indebtedness arises may certify to the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives the amount of the indebtedness. The Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives is authorized to withhold the amount so certified from any amount which is disbursed by him and which is due to, or on behalf of, such employee. Whenever an amount is withheld under this section, the appropriate account shall be credited in an amount equal to the amount so withheld. As used in this section, the term “employee of the House of Representatives” means any person in the legislative branch of the Government whose salary, wages, or other compensation is disbursed by the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Codification Section was formerly classified to section 89a of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.
Amendments
1996—Pub. L. 104–186 substituted “and fails to pay the indebtedness, the chairman of the committee or the elected officer of the House of Representatives that has jurisdiction over the activity under which the indebtedness arises may certify to the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives the amount of the indebtedness” for “, or to the trust fund account in the office of the Sergeant at Arms of the House of Representatives, and such employee fails to pay such indebtedness, the chairman of the committee, or the elected officer, of the House of Representatives having jurisdiction of the activity under which such indebtedness arose, is authorized to certify to the Clerk of the House of Representatives the amount of such indebtedness” in first sentence and “Chief Administrative Officer” for “Clerk” in second and last sentences.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
2 U.S.C. § 4559
Title 2, The Congress
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102