John Boehner happy


The "No Budget, No Pay" bill passed the Senate Thursday afternoon, sending the measure to the President's desk for a final signature.

The bill suspends the debt ceiling until May 18 and contains a measure that cuts off pay for member of Congress in the event that the Senate does not produce a budget that the House approves.

However, the title of the legislation is misleading.

Members of Congress will get paid — members earn $174,000 per year, or $348,000 per term — regardless of whether they pass a budget. They just might not get their paychecks right away.  




no budget no pay

US House

The relevant text

If this occurs prior to April 15, then everybody will get their regular paychecks.

If Congress doesn't agree to a concurrent resolution on the 2014 budget by April 15, the payroll administrators of the House and Senate will deposit all paychecks into an escrow account. 

If Congress agrees on the concurrent resolution sometime after April 16, members get the lump sum payment of all their paychecks put into escrow after the budget deadline.

If Congress doesn't agree to the concurrent resolution at any point during the 113th Congress, then members will not get paid until the last day of the Congress, in late 2014 or early 2015. At that point, each member will get the rest of their $348,000 in a lump sum.