Blue Dog Coalition Endorses No Labels No Budget, No Pay Act

Bill Receives Support From Fiscally Responsible House Members

The Democratic Blue Dog Coalition today endorsed the No Labels No Budget, No Pay Act (H.R. 3643). The bill ceases pay for members of Congress if they fail to pass all appropriations bills and the budget on time.

“The Blue Dog coalition has a long record of backing sensible bipartisan reforms, particularly on issues of fiscal accountability,” said No Labels co-founder Bill Galston. “The No Budget, No Pay Act is just this kind of reform. We welcome their leadership and their support for practical proposals addressing the gridlock and hyperpartisanship in Congress that put our fiscal future at risk.”

The No Budget, No Pay House bill, sponsored by Congressman Jim Cooper (D-TN), currently has 30 bipartisan cosponsors. Its companion bill in the Senate (S.1981) is sponsored by Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) and is scheduled to receive a hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on March 14.

Congress has passed all appropriations bills and a budget on time only four times in 60 years. No Budget, No Pay would eliminate the stopgap spending measures that Congress uses to fund itself by requiring it to pass all 12 annual appropriations bills and a budget on time.

“No Budget, No Pay is not a gimmick,” Galston said. “It simply holds Congress to the same standard as ordinary Americans, who must do their job in order to receive a paycheck. No Budget, No Pay is reform no. 1 in No Labels’ 12-point Make Congress Work! action plan. More than 85% of citizens favor its adoption. The bill could be passed in 2012 and take effect when the new Congress is seated in 2013.”

No Labels is a group of Republicans, Democrats and Independents who want our government to work again. To arrange an interview with a No Labels co-founder, please contact Sarah Feldman at press@nolabels.org or (202) 588-1990. To learn more about No Labels, please visit www.NoLabels.org.