Press Releases

WASHINGTON – Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-1) reintroduced three pieces of legislation as part of his ongoing efforts to increase accountability in Washington: the No Budget, No Pay Act, the Inaction Has Consequences Act, and the Stay on Schedule (S.O.S.) Resolution.

The No Budget, No Pay Act would prohibit members of the House or Senate from receiving pay if their respective chamber does not pass a budget by April 15, 2021. The Inaction Has Consequences Act reads that if Members don’t complete appropriations bills by the end of the fiscal year, their pay is withheld. And the S.O.S. Resolution changes congressional procedure to prohibit the House from taking a recess in August, unless it has passed all twelve appropriations bills individually by July 31, 2021.

Congressman Wittman stated, “People are sick and tired of governing-by-crisis. They want to see Washington at work for them. For far too long, Congress has chosen to fund the government through short-sighted, stop-gap budget measures. It’s time for us to put aside partisan bickering and get to work on a budget that reflects the will of the people and provides some certainty for businesses and communities in the year ahead. By getting back to regular order, we can eliminate waste, introduce new, innovative programs, and avoid shutdown scenarios, especially as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“These three pieces of legislation will ensure that Congress is accountable to the people,” Wittman continued. “They are simple, commonsense initiatives that will allow our nation’s elected leaders to show their constituents that they are serious about getting the job done. I believe that they will help to restore regular order and provide certainty for Americans, specifically federal employees and our nation’s military.”

Congressman Rob Wittman represents the 1st District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee, where he serves as the Vice Ranking Member of the full Committee and Ranking Member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee.

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