[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 72 (Friday, May 18, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H3108]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                          NO BUDGET NO PAY ACT

  (Mrs. BLACK asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mrs. BLACK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about an important 
piece of legislation that I am proud to cosponsor, the No Budget No Pay 
Act. It says if we, the Members of the House and the Senate, don't 
adopt a budget and pass all of the appropriations bills by October 1, 
we don't get paid.
  The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 requires the Congress complete a 
budget annually, and for over 1,000 days, we have not done so. The 
deadlines for the budget and appropriations bills are missed so often 
that they're meaningless. This kicking the can down the road mentality 
has got to stop. People are fed up. And, frankly, America cannot afford 
it anymore. We have to balance our books just like American families 
do.
  Our constituents have to perform their job duties to collect a 
paycheck, and so should we. I urge you to support this commonsense 
legislation. Not only will it help us get our fiscal house in order, it 
will help restore trust in this institution.

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