Bill · H.R. 208· House(119-HR-208)
No Budget, No Pay Act
- Introduced
- 1/3/2025
- Last activity
- 1/3/2025 — Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
- Sponsored by
- Robert Wittman
- Cosponsors
- - 3 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, titled the "No Budget, No Pay Act," aims to hold the salaries of Members of Congress in escrow if a budget resolution is not reached. If a House of Congress fails to agree to a concurrent resolution on the budget for the next fiscal year by April 15, its payroll administrator must deposit compensation payments into an escrow account. These funds are held until the House agrees to the budget resolution or until the current Congress ends. The bill includes Delegates and Resident Commissioners under the definition of "Member of Congress." This act is intended to apply starting with fiscal year 2026 and all following years.
Yes
Does this make the government pay for what it commits to?+5
The bill incentivizes the timely passage of a budget resolution by linking the compensation of Members of Congress to the budgetary process.
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+3
The bill creates a high-stakes mechanism that forces visible legislative action on the federal budget.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Incentivizing Budget Agreement: By requiring the payroll administrator to deposit compensation into an escrow account if a concurrent resolution on the budget is not agreed to by April s (Section 2(a)(1)), the bill creates a mechanism linked to the timely passing of the budget.
-
Protection of Compensation against Constitutional Violations: The bill specifies that the payroll administrator shall release any remaining amounts in the escrow account on the last day of the Congress to ensure compensation is not varied in violation of the twenty-seventh article of amendment to the Constitution (Section 2(a)(4)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Delayed Compensation for Members of Congress: If a House of Congress has not agreed to a concurrent resolution on the budget by April 15, the payroll administrator must deposit compensation payments into an escrow account instead of paying them out immediately (Section 2(a)(1)).
-
Financial Uncertainty for Members: Payments are held in escrow from April 16 until the House agrees to a budget resolution or until the Congress ends (Section 2(a)(2)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Fiscal Responsibility+5
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+3
- 11/19/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 10/24/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 10/3/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/3/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Vern BuchananRepublican · Florida
Randy FineRepublican · Florida
Jennifer KiggansRepublican · Virginia