“If Congress Doesn’t Make A Budget, We Shouldn’t Get Paid”: Senators Reintroduce Bipartisan No Budget No Pay Act

WASHINGTON — Senators Mike Braun, Joe Manchin, Rick Scott, Maggie Hassan, Shelley Moore Capito, and Katie Britt have reintroduced the bipartisan No Budget, No Pay Act.

The bill simply states that if Members of Congress don’t fulfill their basic job requirements and pass the annual budget resolutions and appropriations bills by the start of the fiscal year (October 1), they will not receive pay until they do. The bill also prohibits retroactive pay for the period.

“Every business and family makes a budget, but Congress doesn’t. If your representatives refuse to do a basic part of their job like passing a budget resolution and appropriations bills in time, we shouldn’t get paid. That’s why I’m reintroducing the bipartisan No Budget, No Pay Act, to hold D.C. accountable for the budget dysfunction that’s put us on a collision course with fiscal disaster.” — Sen. Braun.

“Every American, every business and every state has to live within a budget in order to operate successfully. This has been a top priority of mine since my time as Governor. If Congress is unable or unwilling to work in a bipartisan manner to pass a budget, we should not get paid as lawmakers. I’m proud to reintroduce the bipartisan No Budget, No Pay Act and I will continue to work with my colleagues across the aisle to find a commonsense pathway toward fixing our long-term spending and debt problems.” — Sen. Manchin.

“Our nation is over $31 trillion in debt after years of Washington failing the American people and shirking its responsibility of passing a real, balanced budget that prioritizes the needs of American families. Now more than ever, we need to bring fiscal sanity back to Washington, and that starts with holding Congress accountable to do one of its most basic duties: passing a budget. There is no reason members of Congress should be held to a different standard than any other American family or business. In the real world, if you don’t do your job, you don’t get paid. Our No Budget, No Pay bill simply requires Congress to pass an annual budget and meet appropriations bill deadlines, or forgo their taxpayer-funded salaries until the job is done.” — Sen. Scott (R-FL).

“Families and small businesses across West Virginia have to balance their budgets, and Congress shouldn’t be any different. I am proud to serve on the Senate Appropriations Committee that is responsible for writing these bills, and we must make sure to prioritize passing responsible appropriations bills, under regular order, every year.” — Sen. Capito.

“Our national debt is an economic and security crisis that threatens the future of our children and our children’s children. Ending deficit spending starts with returning to regular order. This bill is a simple yet effective way to incentivize Congress to do just that: no budget, no paycheck.” — Sen. Britt.

 EVANSVILLE, Ind. – On January 25-26, 2023 Evansville will conduct its annual Point-in-Time (PIT) count of people experiencing homelessness in the community, including sheltered and unsheltered homeless men, women, children, and families. Mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the count provides a snapshot of the number and characteristics of people experiencing homelessness in Evansville. The Aurora Homeless Outreach Team conducts the count with support from area homeless shelters and agencies, in conjunction with the Region 12 Homeless Services Council and Commission on Homelessness for Evansville and Vanderburgh County. 

WHO – Aurora Homeless Outreach Team and other agencies, including United Caring Services, Ozanam Family Shelter, House of Bread and Peace, Evansville Rescue Mission, YWCA Evansville, Salvation Army and others. 

WHEN – The count begins Wednesday, January 25, 2023, at 7:30 p.m., and concludes the morning of Thursday, January 26, 2023 

WHERE 

• Shelters: Evansville initiates a white flag, so any and all can come to the shelter for the day (it makes counting the majority easier). The shelter staff completes the survey forms for each person and enters the info into HMIS (Indiana’s homeless data tracking system). Shelters not on the HMIS system receive paper forms to complete and send to Indianapolis for entry into HMIS. 

• Street: Aurora’s Homeless Outreach Team goes out on the streets with survey forms in hand, to places where it is known that homeless people congregate or stay. The outreach team completes the forms and enters the information into HMIS. 

About the Point-in-Time Count The annual point-in-time count is mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for communities receiving its funds for programs to aid people experiencing homelessness. The count includes sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January, including emergency shelters and transitional housing, as well as locations unfit for habitation. HUD aggregates the local data each year as a snapshot of homelessness nationally. HUD utilizes PIT data in its strategic planning for future programs to address homelessness. 

About the Commission on Homelessness 

The Commission on Homelessness for Evansville and Vanderburgh County was formed in 2005 to direct and facilitate the implementation of strategic actions to prevent and end homelessness locally. The Commission includes representatives of local non-profit and civic organizations, City and County government, the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation, the United Way of Southwestern Indiana, the Evansville Housing Authority, and homeless services and housing agencies, among others. Together, they provide leadership for local implementation of national programs and resources to address homelessness, including housing initiatives, coordinated entry and other community-wide homeless processes, homeless diversion and prevention programs. For more: evansvillehomeless.org/ and facebook.com/