[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 84 (Monday, June 13, 2011)]
[House]
[Page H4046]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CONGRESSIONAL PAY ACCOUNTABILITY ACT

  (Mr. HULTGREN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask whether Congress can 
raise itself to the standard of accountability of your home State, the 
State of California, that was set there recently.
  On April 15 of this year, I introduced the Congressional Pay 
Accountability Act of 2011, a bill that requires Congress to pass a 
budget and appropriations bills before the beginning of the fiscal 
year. If we don't, we don't get paid.
  I introduced this bill because if Congress is unable to perform its 
basic fundamental duties--to pass the budget and appropriations bills--
we aren't doing our job and should be held accountable and should not 
get paid.
  Recently, I read that California voters approved a ballot measure 
that requires the same thing of their State legislators--pass a budget 
or don't get paid. California voters, facing one of the worst budget 
crises in U.S. history, spoke up and said that they wanted to hold 
their elected officials accountable.
  As America faces the worst debt crisis in its history, I hope 
Congress can stand up and declare that we, too, want to be held 
accountable.
  Ask yourselves: If California can do it, why can't Congress do it?

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