Government shutdowns put government employees out of work, causing them to lose out on much-needed pay. This doesn’t apply to Congressional members, but a House Democrat introduced a bill designed to keep Congressional members from getting paid during a government shutdown.
Rep. Rick Nolan (D-MN) introduced the bill on Friday in the middle of a panic on Capitol Hill regarding the threat of another government shutdown. Republicans in both chambers are demanding that Planned Parenthood be defunded in the next federal budget. They do this knowing President Barack Obama will veto the budget to keep Planned Parenthood funded.
“It’s time to put an end to government by crisis management,” Nolan said in a statement. “And it’s time for Congress to start living in the real world — where you either do your job — or you don’t get paid. If hundreds of thousands of other federal employees are to go without their salaries — twisting slowly in the wind in a government shutdown — then the Congress should not be paid either.”
Republicans forced a shutdown two years ago over the Affordable Care Act. The Obama administration didn’t budge, and the Republicans eventually relented. A similar outcome will likely happen as a result of the GOP’s obstruction and recklessness.
If Congress isn’t going to do its job, then they shouldn’t get paid just like everybody else.
For more on this story, visit the Huffington Post “This Bill Would Stop Congress From Getting Paid if Government Shuts Down”
