October 10, 2025
Mr. Moskowitz (for himself, Ms. Hoyle of Oregon, Mr. Whitesides, Mr. Horsford, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mrs. McClain Delaney, Mr. Frost, Ms. McBride, Ms. Friedman, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Min, Ms. Tokuda, and Mr. Landsman) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules, 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
Requiring the House of Representatives to convene and hold recorded quorum calls during a Government shutdown, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Requiring House to convene during Government shutdown
(a) In general
Except as provided under subsection (b), on each day on which a Government shutdown is in effect, the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall convene a meeting of the House.
(b) Restrictions on recess or adjournment
During a meeting of the House on a day on which a Government shutdown is in effect, it shall not be in order for the House to consider a motion to adjourn or for the Speaker to declare a recess unless—
(1)
the House met for each of the first 5 consecutive calendar days on which the Government shutdown is in effect;
(2)
the proposed period of adjournment or recess does not last for more than 2 consecutive calendar days; and
(3)
the House has met for at least 5 consecutive calendar days since the expiration of the most recent period of adjournment or recess under this subsection.
Sec. 2. Mandatory recorded quorum calls
(a) Requirement
On each day on which the House is in session while a Government shutdown is in effect, there shall be one or more recorded quorum calls under which each Member of the House shall record the Member’s presence by electronic device.
(b) Imposition of fines for failure To record presence
(1) Imposition by Sergeant-at-Arms
(A)
The Sergeant-at-Arms is authorized and directed to impose a fine against a Member for failure to record the presence of the Member on a quorum call under subsection (a) on 2 or more consecutive days, except that the Sergeant-at-Arms may not impose a fine against a Member who notifies the Speaker that the reason for the failure is the illness of the Member or the illness of a member of the Member’s family.
(B)
A fine imposed pursuant to this resolution shall be $500 for a first offense and $2,500 for any subsequent offense.
(C)
The Sergeant-at-Arms shall promptly notify in writing the Member, the Speaker, the Minority Leader, the Committee on Ethics, and the Chief Administrative Officer of any fine under this subsection. Such notification shall include findings detailing the violation and shall also be made publicly available by the chair of the Committee on Ethics.
(2) Appeal to Committee on Ethics
(A)
The Member may appeal the fine imposed under subsection (a) in writing to the Committee on Ethics not later than 30 calendar days or five legislative days, whichever is later, after notification pursuant to paragraph (1)(C). Such appeal shall include a response to the findings issued by the Sergeant-at-Arms pursuant to such paragraph.
(B)
Upon receipt of an appeal pursuant to subparagraph (A), the Committee on Ethics shall have a period of 30 calendar days or five legislative days, whichever is later, to consider the appeal. The fine will be upheld unless the appeal is agreed to by a majority of the Committee. Upon a determination regarding the appeal or if no appeal has been filed at the expiration of the period specified in subparagraph (A), the chair of the Committee on Ethics shall promptly notify the Member, the Speaker, the Sergeant-at-Arms, and the Chief Administrative Officer, and shall make such notification publicly available. The Speaker shall promptly lay such notification before the House.
(C)
If a Member files an appeal under subparagraph (A) prior to the date on which the Committee on Ethics has adopted written rules, the period for the Committee’s consideration of the appeal under subparagraph (B) shall begin on the date on which the chair of the Committee notifies the Member that the Committee has adopted such rules.
(3) Deducting fine from pay
(A)
If a Member against whom a fine is imposed by the Sergeant-at-Arms under paragraph (1) has not paid the fine prior to the expiration of the 90-calendar day period which begins on the date described in subparagraph (B), the Chief Administrative Officer shall deduct the amount of the fine from the net salary otherwise due the Member, in accordance with timetables and procedures established by the Committee on House Administration for purposes of carrying out this subsection.
(B)
The date described in this subparagraph is, with respect to a fine imposed on a Member—
(i)
the date of the determination of the Committee on Ethics under paragraph (2)(B); or
(ii)
if the Member does not file an appeal with the Committee on Ethics prior to the expiration of the period specified in paragraph (2)(B), the first day after the expiration of such period.
(4) Prohibiting use of campaign or official funds to pay fines
A Member may not use campaign funds or official funds, including amounts in the Members’ Representational Allowance, to pay a fine imposed under this section.
(5) Policies and procedures
The Sergeant-at-Arms, Committee on Ethics, Committee on House Administration, and Chief Administrative Officer are authorized to establish policies and procedures for the implementation of this section.
Sec. 3. No effect on other business
Nothing in this resolution may be construed to prohibit or otherwise affect the authority of the House of Representatives to conduct any business on a day on which a Government shutdown is in effect which is consistent with the Rules of the House.
Sec. 4. Period of Government shutdown
For purposes of this resolution, a Government shutdown shall be considered to be in effect if there is a lapse in appropriations for any Federal agency or department as a result of a failure to enact a regular appropriations bill or continuing resolution.
Sec. 5. Application to Delegates and Resident Commissioner
In this resolution, the term Member of the House of Representatives includes a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to the Congress.