With Congress in its lame-duck session, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., continues to double down on the “No Budget, No Pay” proposal that he and U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., have been pushing for almost two years.
On Monday, Scott called on Congress to include the proposal, which would withhold congressional pay unless a budget is passed, as it looks to pass a funding bill before the Dec. 11 deadline to avoid a federal shutdown.
“Washington is completely dysfunctional, and the unwillingness to work together has caused multiple government shutdowns. That’s unacceptable. As we consider this year’s spending bills, I’m calling on Congress to pass my ‘No Budget, No Pay’ bill, which simply says that if Congress cannot work together to fund the government, they should not be getting paid. Hardworking Americans across the country are still struggling to recover from the coronavirus. They don’t get to fail at their jobs and still collect a paycheck. Even members of the Coast Guard went without a paycheck during the last government shutdown. Washington politicians shouldn’t get paid if they can’t do their jobs,” Scott said.
Scott floated the proposal during his successful challenge to U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., back in 2018 and Braun introduced it back in January 2019. Braun and Scott have worked together on several bills in their series of “Make Washington Work” bills which included ending congressional pensions.
While Braun has rounded up more than 15 cosponsors, the bill is showing little signs of progress. The U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee advanced the proposal as part of U.S. Sen. James Lankford’s, R-Okla., “Prevent Government Shutdowns Act” in June 2019 and put on the Senate calendar in November 2019 but it shows no signs of clearing the GOP-controlled Senate or the Democratic-controlled U.S. House.
In January 2019, U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., introduced the House version of the bill and has rounded up almost 30 cosponsors including U.S. Reps. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., and Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla. Cooper’s bill has been stuck before the U.S. House Committee on House Administration since that time.
Reach Kevin Derby at kevin.derby@floridadaily.com.
Cecil Davis
November 20, 2020, 5:14 pm at 5:14 pm
I am proud of Sen Rick Scott and the stand he is taking to try to get Congress to pass a budget. Maybe he should add to the bill that only those who support passing a budget should be paid!
Cecil Davis
Jasper, FL.
Emmy
November 20, 2020, 10:28 pm at 10:28 pm
Thank you Mr Scott fir thinking about us. You have my vote next time..I am glad your seeing the bigger picture. The congressmen’s and senators in DC are playing politics and not thinking about us the peons that voted them there .
Emmy
November 20, 2020, 10:29 pm at 10:29 pm
Thank you Mr Scott. You have my vote next time.. .
elaine furman
November 21, 2020, 11:22 am at 11:22 am
If you didn’t blindly follow Mitch McConnell as a trump spokesperson, & if the Republican Senators stood up to Mitch from the beginning there wouldn’t be the mess the country is in now- while you follow like sheep all along, now you wake up to see the mess you created & try to show up to fix it before the next budget is due. Too Little too late, rick!!!
elaine furman
November 21, 2020, 11:29 am at 11:29 am
If you didn’t blindly follow Mitch McConnell as a trump spokesperson, & if the Republican Senators stood up to Mitch from the beginning there wouldn’t be the mess the country is in now- while you follow like sheep all along, now you wake up to see the mess you created & try to show up to fix it before the next budget is due. Too Little too late, rick!!!
I will never vote for you because of all blind votes before, from voting for your last 2 supreme court confirmations, neither one fit, nor all the other spineless actions you & your fellow Republicans did allowing trump to repeal clean air & water regulations, putting the worst people to head government agencies, like DeVos , DeJoy, and others, & supporting him in all his mentally unfit activities. You do not deserve your salary!!
Linda Guinn
November 21, 2020, 4:34 pm at 4:34 pm
I can’t believe you are pushing no budget no pay bill. I have not always agreed with you but congrats on this. The American people need to see this type of forward thinking. Also like amendment about pensions