How To Hold Congress Accountable

While the shutdown ended last Friday, government funding now expires in three weeks. In the meantime, a bipartisan conference committee will work, still under threat of shutdown, to reach a deal on border security funding. This new normal of crisis governance and shutdown politics must change.

This status quo isn’t an acceptable or responsible way to debate the most important policy affecting everyday Americans. I think this shutdown has brought a new focus on Congressional accountability and ways to prevent future shutdowns. I have been advocating for years that a few changes to the way Washington operates would go a long way to hold members of Congress accountable and end these entirely avoidable situations.

Here’s the legislation I’ve introduced to end shutdown showdown politics & ensure members of Congress suffer the consequences for a job not done:

1. No Budget, No Pay Act-If Congress doesn’t complete a budget by  April 15, members of Congress don’t get paid. Budgeting is the most basic responsibility of Congress. If this isn’t done, no member should be cashing in a paycheck.
2. Stay on Schedule Resolution-If members of Congress fail to pass all 12 government funding bills by the end of July, August recess, often used for vacation, is cancelled. If the job isn’t done, you don’t give up and head home for vacation. The same standard should apply to Congress.
3. No Congressional First Class Flights Act-When traveling for official business, members of Congress should not have special privileges bankrolled by taxpayers dollars. They should fly like the majority of the constituents they represent—in coach.
4. Inaction Has Consequences Act-If members of Congress don’t pass all 12 government funding bills by the end of the fiscal year, resulting in a government shutdown, members would not receive their paychecks. Members should feel the consequences, like every other American would, for failing to get the job done.