United States 115th Congress Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 21 R · 1 D cosponsors

HR 4413 — No Back Pay for Bergdahl Act

Last action — Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 115th Congress. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

No Back Pay for Bergdahl Act This bill amends the Uniform Code of Military Justice to deny payments or benefits to any person found guilty of desertion or attempted desertion for any period during which the person is treated as being in a missing or captive status after the date the person was first determined to be absent without authority. The Department of Defense shall use payments or benefits denied to a deserter under this bill to provide compensation to members of the Armed Forces who were wounded or injured while searching for the deserter and to representatives of members killed while searching for the deserter.

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

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Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill prohibits members of the Armed Forces who are guilty of desertion from receiving any unpaid pay and allowances and reallocates those funds to compensate service members involved in search efforts for deserters.

  • 10 U.S.C. § 885

    (d)(1) Any person found guilty of desertion or an attempt to desert is not entitled to any payments or benefits otherwise provided under section 552 or 559 of title 37 for any period during which the person is treated as being in a missing or captive status after the date on which the person was first determined to be absent from the person's post of duty without authority.

    This addition explicitly denies unpaid pay and allowances to members guilty of desertion.

  • 10 U.S.C. § 885

    (2) If payments or benefits described in paragraph (1) have already been made for that period, the person is indebted to the United States for the full amount of such payments or benefits.

    This clause establishes that deserters must repay any previously issued payments or benefits.

  • 10 U.S.C. § 885

    (3) The punishment under paragraph (1) is in addition to the punishments authorized under subsection (c).

    This ensures that the penalty for losing pay does not preclude other punishments for desertion.

  • 10 U.S.C. § 885

    (4) The Secretary of Defense shall use amounts unpaid by reason of operation of paragraph (1) or recovered under paragraph (2) to provide compensation, in such amounts as the Secretary considers appropriate, to--

    This allows the Secretary of Defense to reallocate unpaid salary for compensations related to search efforts.

  • 10 U.S.C. § 885

    (A) any members of the armed forces who were wounded or injured while searching for the person found guilty of desertion or attempt to desert; and

    This specifies that compensation will be given to service members injured while searching for a deserter.

  • 10 U.S.C. § 885

    (B) the designated representatives of any members of the armed forces who were killed while searching for the person.

    This ensures compensation for families of those who died during search operations for a deserter.

  • 10 U.S.C. § 885

    (5) In the absence of members of the armed forces described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (4), the Secretary of Defense shall use the amounts as provided in section 2601(b) of this title.

    This clause provides a fallback mechanism for the use of unreleased funds.

Action History

  1. Introduced in House

  2. Introduced in House

  3. Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

  4. Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 21 co-sponsors · 525 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (21)

Not signed on (525)

525 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

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Subjects

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Frequently asked questions

What does HR 4413 do?
No Back Pay for Bergdahl Act This bill amends the Uniform Code of Military Justice to deny payments or benefits to any person found guilty of desertion or attempted desertion for any period during which the person is treated as being in a missing or captive status after the date the person was first determined to be absent without authority. The Department of Defense shall use payments or benefits denied to a deserter under this bill to provide compensation to members of the Armed Forces who were wounded or injured while searching for the deserter and to representatives of members killed while searching for the deserter.
Who sponsors HR 4413?
HR 4413 is sponsored by Pearce, Stevan (Republican), Norman, Ralph (Republican), Hunter, Duncan D. (Republican), Jones, Walter B., Jr. (Republican), Young, Don (Republican), Gosar, Paul A. (Republican), King, Steve (Republican), Zeldin, Lee M. (Republican), Mooney, Alexander X. (Republican), Stewart, Chris (Republican), Grothman, Glenn (Republican), Calvert, Ken (Republican), Conaway, K. Michael (Republican), Bustos, Cheri (Democratic), Jordan, Jim (Republican), Latta, Robert E. (Republican), King, Peter T. (Republican), Palazzo, Steven M. (Republican), Johnson, Sam (Republican), Wenstrup, Brad R. (Republican), Brat, Dave (Republican), and Gohmert, Louie (Republican).
What is the current status of HR 4413?
This bill died with 115th Congress. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track HR 4413?
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