Each time the President adjusts the rates of pay of employees under section 5303 of title 5 (or section 5304 or 5304a of such title, as applied to employees employed in the pay locality of the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore, Maryland consolidated metropolitan statistical area) the President pro tempore of the Senate shall, as he considers appropriate—

adjust the rates of pay of personnel whose pay is disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate, and any minimum or maximum rate applicable to any such personnel; or

(A) adjust the rates of pay of personnel whose pay is disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate, and any minimum or maximum rate applicable to any such personnel; or

(B) in the case of such personnel whose rates of pay are fixed by or pursuant to law at specific rates, adjust such rates (including the adjustment of such specific rates to maximum pay rates) and, in the case of all other personnel whose pay is disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate, adjust only the minimum or maximum rates applicable to such other personnel; and

(2) adjust any limitation or allowance applicable to such personnel;

The adjustments made by the President pro tempore shall be made in such manner as he considers advisable and shall have the force and effect of law.

Nothing in this section shall impair any authority pursuant to which rates of pay may be fixed by administrative action.

No rate of pay shall be adjusted under the provisions of this section to an amount in excess of the rate of basic pay for level III of the Executive Schedule contained in section 5314 of title 5, except in cases in which it is necessary to restore and maintain the same pay relationships that existed on December 31, 1986, between personnel and Senators and between positions.

Any percentage used in any statute specifically providing for an adjustment in rates of pay in lieu of an adjustment made under section 5303 of title 5 and, as the case may be, section 5304 or 5304a of such title for any calendar year shall be treated as the percentage used in an adjustment made under such section 5303, 5304, or 5304a, as applicable, for purposes of subsection (a).

For purposes of this section, the term “personnel” does not include any Senator.

(Pub. L. 91–656, § 4, Jan. 8, 1971, 84 Stat. 1952; Pub. L. 92–298, § 3(a), May 17, 1972, 86 Stat. 146; Pub. L. 92–392, § 14(a), Aug. 19, 1972, 86 Stat. 575; Pub. L. 94–82, title II, § 204(d), Aug. 9, 1975, 89 Stat. 422; Pub. L. 100–202, § 101(i) [title III, § 311(a), (b)], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–290, 1329–310; Pub. L. 101–509, title V, § 529 [title I, § 101(b)(4)(E)], Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1427, 1440; Pub. L. 106–554, § 1(a)(2) [title I, § 2], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2763, 2763A–96.)