Senate Passes No Labels Backed Proposal No Budget, No Pay

Historic Grassroots Backed Measure Holds Congress Accountable to the American People

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Earlier today, the United States Senate passed No Budget, No Pay as part of a three-month extension of the debt ceiling.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120210/DC51371LOGO)

"For more than a year and a half, I've fought for 'No Budget, No Pay,' as a common-sense approach to hold Members of Congress accountable for passing a budget. Despite the odds, this idea has gained strong bipartisan support in Congress. Thank you to Representative Jim Cooper for spearheading this effort in the House, and to No Labels supporters from all over the country who wrote to their Members of Congress in support of this idea.  With their help, No Budget, No Pay gained the momentum necessary to pass both chambers," said Senator Dean Heller (R-NV).

The original No Budget, No Pay bills were introduced by Senator Heller and Representative Jim Cooper (D-TN) in the previous Session of Congress. Strengthened by the support of hundreds of thousands of No Labels grassroots supporters from across the country, No Budget, No Pay garnered more than 90 co-sponsors as well a hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee in the 112th Congress. Details of today's Senate-passed version of No Budget, No Pay differ slightly from No Labels' original proposal, but the underlying premise remains the same: Members of Congress shouldn't be paid if they can't pass a budget on time.

"No Budget, No Pay is a great example of the achievable and immediate reform that No Labels has been pushing since its inception," said No Labels National Leader and Honorary Co-Chair Jon Huntsman. "Like the filibuster reform that just passed the Senate, No Budget, No Pay can help our government work better right now.  Our country's problems are urgent and we simply don't have time to wait."

"The passage of No Budget, No Pay by both chambers is unprecedented.  Americans want Congress to be held accountable, and due to the fact that Senate leaders have indicated that they will pass a budget this year, it is clear that No Budget, No Pay has already had a behavioral effect.  The No Labels grassroots supporters made this happen," said No Labels co-founder and Brookings Institution Senior Fellow in Governance Studies, Bill Galston. 

View No Labels' No Budget, No Pay Timeline – How an Idea became a law

No Labels is a grassroots movement of Democrats, Republicans and independents dedicated to promoting a new politics of problem solving. To learn more about No Labels, please visit www.NoLabels.org.

SOURCE No Labels