Legislation has been introduced that would block pay for Members of Congress if DHS were to shut down.
Introduced in the House this week by Reps. Brad Ashford (D-NE), Gwen Graham (D-FL), Scott Peters (D-CA), and Ami Bera (D-CA), the bill is known as the “No Homeland Security, No Pay Act” (H.R. 1032). Pay for Members of Congress would be held in an escrow account should funding lapse for DHS. The funds would not be available until funding legislation is signed in to law.
Funding for DHS is currently set to expire on Saturday, February 28 if no action is taken.
Ashford said, “All across the country, folks live by the idea that if you don’t do your job, you shouldn’t get paid. The same should hold true for members of Congress, and this bill simply codifies that belief. It comes down to accountability to the people we represent, and is meant to encourage members of both parties to end the gridlock and find common ground on this important issue. There are too many credible threats against our nation to let this important agency shut down.”
Graham added, “If Congress lets obstructionists shut down the Department of Homeland Security, each member should have their paycheck withheld. There should be an immediate consequence for letting partisan games threaten the security of the American people.”
