S. 39Senate116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

No Budget, No Pay Act

Sponsored by Mike BraunSen. Mike Braun (R-IN)
Introduced January 8, 2019

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 13, 2026 at 11:56 PM UTC

The No Budget, No Pay Act would stop the salaries of Senators and Representatives after October 1 of any fiscal year in which Congress has not adopted a budget resolution and passed all of the regular appropriations bills for that year. Pay would resume only once both the budget resolution and the full set of appropriations are approved. The bill applies to all members of Congress, but not the Vice President.

Key Provisions

  • If Congress fails to approve a budget resolution and all regular appropriations bills before October 1, members’ pay is suspended for each day after that date until the requirements are met.
  • The Senate and House Budget and Appropriations Committee chairs must certify on October 1 whether the pay suspension applies and determine the length of the suspension.
  • No back‑pay is allowed for any period that was suspended; members cannot receive retroactive salary once the suspension ends.
  • The law takes effect on February 1, 2021.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

January 8, 2019

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

January 8, 2019

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

January 8, 2019

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued January 8, 2019

II

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 39

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

January 8, 2019

Mr. Braun (for himself and Mr. Manchin) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

A BILL

To provide that Members of Congress may not receive pay after October 1 of any fiscal year in which Congress has not approved a concurrent resolution on the budget and passed the regular appropriations bills.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the No Budget, No Pay Act.

2.

Definition

In this Act, the term Member of Congress—

(1)

has the meaning given under section 2106 of title 5, United States Code; and

(2)

does not include the Vice President.

3.

Timely approval of concurrent resolution on the budget and the appropriations bills

If both Houses of Congress have not approved a concurrent resolution on the budget as described under section 301 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 632) for a fiscal year before October 1 of that fiscal year and have not passed all the regular appropriations bills for the next fiscal year before October 1 of that fiscal year, the pay of each Member of Congress may not be paid for each day following that October 1 until the date on which both Houses of Congress approve a concurrent resolution on the budget for that fiscal year and all the regular appropriations bills.

4.

No pay without concurrent resolution on the budget and the appropriations bills

(a)

In general

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no funds may be appropriated or otherwise be made available from the United States Treasury for the pay of any Member of Congress during any period determined by the Chairpersons of the Committee on the Budget and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate or the Chairpersons of the Committee on the Budget and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives under section 5.

(b)

No retroactive pay

A Member of Congress may not receive pay for any period determined by the Chairpersons of the Committee on the Budget and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate or the Chairpersons of the Committee on the Budget and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives under section 5, at any time after the end of that period.

5.

Determinations

(a)

Senate

(1)

Request for certifications

On October 1 of each year, the Secretary of the Senate shall submit a request to the Chairpersons of the Committee on the Budget and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate for certification of determinations made under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2).

(2)

Determinations

The Chairpersons of the Committee on the Budget and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate shall—

(A)

on October 1 of each year, make a determination of whether Congress is in compliance with section 3 and whether Senators may not be paid under that section;

(B)

determine the period of days following each October 1 that Senators may not be paid under section 3; and

(C)

provide timely certification of the determinations under subparagraphs (A) and (B) upon the request of the Secretary of the Senate.

(b)

House of Representatives

(1)

Request for certifications

On October 1 of each year, the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives shall submit a request to the Chairpersons of the Committee on the Budget and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives for certification of determinations made under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2).

(2)

Determinations

The Chairpersons of the Committee on the Budget and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives shall—

(A)

on October 1 of each year, make a determination of whether Congress is in compliance with section 3 and whether Members of the House of Representatives may not be paid under that section;

(B)

determine the period of days following each October 1 that Members of the House of Representatives may not be paid under section 3; and

(C)

provide timely certification of the determinations under subparagraphs (A) and (B) upon the request of the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives.

6.

Effective date

This Act shall take effect on February 1, 2021.