H.R. 6991: PAUSE Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-05-22 · International Affairs · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-05-22 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-20] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

PAUSE Act

Plain summary

Preventing Actions Undermining Security without Endorsement Act or the PAUSE Act This bill prohibits any action to terminate or withdraw the United States from an international treaty to which the Senate has given advice and consent to ratification unless specified conditions are met. Specifically, such withdrawal may not occur unless the Department of Defense and the Department of State submit specific information to Congress and Congress enacts a joint resolution approving such action. The required submissions must include (1) a detailed justification for withdrawal from or termination of the treaty, (2) a certification that all other state parties to the treaty have been consulted with respect to such justification, and (3) a comprehensive strategy to mitigate against lost capacity of benefits from such treaty. A decision by the President to not renew the treaty between the United States and Russia on measures for the reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms (the New START Treaty) shall be subject to such requirements for up to an additional five years.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

PAUSE Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-20] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-20] reported raising $3.6 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Joint resolution: In Texas, the type of measure the Legislature uses to propose a constitutional amendment (marked HJR or SJR). The governor does not sign or veto it; the voters decide. In Congress a joint resolution can also be used like a bill. In Florida, a joint resolution passed by three-fifths of the members of each chamber puts a constitutional amendment on the ballot.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr6991.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr6991 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116