“If Congress Doesn’t Make A Budget, We Shouldn’t Get Paid”: Senators Reintroduce Bipartisan No Budget No Pay Act

Senators Mike Braun, Joe Manchin, Rick Scott, Maggie Hassan, Shelley Moore Capito, and Katie Britt have reintroduced the bipartisan No Budget, No Pay Act.

The bill simply states that if Members of Congress don’t fulfill their basic job requirements and pass the annual budget resolutions and appropriations bills by the start of the fiscal year (Oct. 1), they will not receive pay until they do. The bill also prohibits retroactive pay for the period.

“Every business and family makes a budget, but Congress doesn’t. If your representatives refuse to do a basic part of their job like passing a budget resolution and appropriations bills in time, we shouldn’t get paid. That’s why I’m reintroducing the bipartisan No Budget, No Pay Act, to hold D.C. accountable for the budget dysfunction that’s put us on a collision course with fiscal disaster.” — Sen. Braun.

“Every American, every business and every state has to live within a budget in order to operate successfully. This has been a top priority of mine since my time as Governor. If Congress is unable or unwilling to work in a bipartisan manner to pass a budget, we should not get paid as lawmakers. I’m proud to reintroduce the bipartisan No Budget, No Pay Act and I will continue to work with my colleagues across the aisle to find a commonsense pathway toward fixing our long-term spending and debt problems.” — Sen. Manchin.                        

“Our nation is over $31 trillion in debt after years of Washington failing the American people and shirking its responsibility of passing a real, balanced budget that prioritizes the needs of American families. Now more than ever, we need to bring fiscal sanity back to Washington, and that starts with holding Congress accountable to do one of its most basic duties: passing a budget. There is no reason members of Congress should be held to a different standard than any other American family or business. In the real world, if you don’t do your job, you don’t get paid. Our No Budget, No Pay bill simply requires Congress to pass an annual budget and meet appropriations bill deadlines, or forgo their taxpayer-funded salaries until the job is done.” — Sen. Scott (R-FL).

“Families and small businesses across West Virginia have to balance their budgets, and Congress shouldn’t be any different. I am proud to serve on the Senate Appropriations Committee that is responsible for writing these bills, and we must make sure to prioritize passing responsible appropriations bills, under regular order, every year.” — Sen. Capito.       

“Our national debt is an economic and security crisis that threatens the future of our children and our children’s children. Ending deficit spending starts with returning to regular order. This bill is a simple yet effective way to incentivize Congress to do just that: no budget, no paycheck.” — Sen. Britt.