NO BUDGET, NO PAY!
Zinke signs on to Constitutional Amendment to Stop Congressional Pay During Shutdowns
Washington, D.C. – Today, Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke announced his co-sponsorship of Congressman Ralph Norman’s (SC-05) constitutional amendment that would prohibit Members of Congress from receiving pay during a government shutdown, with no back pay.
Unlike other federal workers, during a shutdown Members of Congress continue to receive pay due to Article I, Section 6 of the Constitution, which states that “The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States.” This language does not specify that pay is contingent on the government being funded.
Congressman Norman’s proposed amendment reads: “A Representative or Senator may not receive compensation with respect to any period during which a Government shutdown is in effect. For purposes of this article, a Government shutdown shall be considered to be in effect if there is a lapse in appropriations for any Federal agency or department as a result of a failure to enact a regular appropriations bill or continuing resolution.”
“We have a constitutional duty to do our job and keep government funded,” said Zinke. “As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I have continually worked to pass individual appropriations bills out of committee for full consideration of Congress. This regular order of government funding allows members of Congress to have input, creates more certainty, and budget accountability. But Congress has relied on punting and continuing resolutions at best and now shutdowns at worst. Simply put: If Congress fails to do its job, Members shouldn’t get a paycheck.”
The U.S. Constitution, under Article I, Section 9, requires that “No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.” Despite this clear mandate, Congress has repeatedly failed to pass appropriations bills on time, triggering shutdowns that disrupt critical services and leave military members, federal employees, Border Patrol agents, and other public servants without pay.
As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Congressman Zinke has played a key role in drafting the 12 appropriations bills that fund the government. Currently, in the 119th Congress, all 12 House appropriations bills have passed out of committee, and four have passed the House floor. Zinke also voted in favor of the clean continuing resolution passed by the House to prevent the current government shutdown and keep essential services running while budget negotiations continue.
Read the full amendment here.
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