January 19, 2018

Manchin Introduces Bill to Withhold Congressional Pay if the Government Shuts Down

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) today introduced legislation to withhold the pay of members of Congress during a government shutdown.

“In West Virginia, we know that when you don’t do your job, you don’t get paid. If Congress can’t come together to fulfil one of our most basic constitutional obligations, then we don’t deserve to get paid either,” Senator Manchin said.

In accordance with the 27th Amendment forbidding Congress from raising or lowering its pay, the No Government No Pay Act of 2018 would take effect during the 116th Congress and would be applied to each new Congress going forward. Congressman Rick Nolan (D-MN) introduced similar legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Other cosponsors include Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Jon Tester (D-MT) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). Manchin and Heitkamp introduced similar legislation before a potential shutdown in 2015.  

###