U.S. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy of Winter Park, Fla., this week helped introduce the bipartisan No Budget, No Pay Act – a bill that requires Members of Congress to pass a budget and all appropriations bills on time or they don’t get paid until they do. Led by U.S. Congressman Jim Cooper of Tennessee, the bill also prohibits retroactive pay, so once the pay is gone, Members can’t get it back. It has been 20 years since Congress passed all appropriations bills on time. Murphy is working with Cooper to help build stronger bipartisan support for the bill in Congress.
“Most Americans have to do their jobs on time or they don’t get paid. Congress should be held to the same commonsense standard,” said Murphy. “We can’t reduce the deficit if we don’t have a budget that forces us to make tough decisions. Job creators and our armed forces need the stability of a regular, timely budget process to make the long-term investments that help our economy grow and keep our nation safe. No Budget, No Pay would force Members of Congress to do their jobs and hold them accountable to the American people when they don’t.”
Under the federal budgeting process, Congress must pass a budget resolution by April 15 every year. The budget guides Congress as it crafts 12 corresponding appropriations bills that allocate funding for all federal agencies and programs in areas like defense, health, homeland security, housing, small business support, and transportation. Congress is required under federal law to finish its annual appropriations process every year by October 1, when the new fiscal year starts.
In 2013, Congress passed a less-stringent, one-year version of No Budget, No Pay. That year, both the House and Senate passed budgets for the first time in four years. If passed, No Budget, No Pay would take effect on Feb. 1, 2019, to ensure the legislation is consistent with the 27th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
