Start the Clock: Broken Budget Process Points to Systemic Dysfunction in Congress

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Feb 10, 2012, 09:09 ET

No Labels' No Budget, No Pay Act to Receive Senate Hearing, Offers Solution to Ending Over 1,000 Day Streak Without Joint Budget Resolution

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With the expected release of the President's budget this coming Monday, No Labels today ran a full-page ad in the The New York Times, and sent a letter to congressional leadership calling on Congress to pass the bipartisan No Budget, No Pay Act (H.R. 3643 / S. 1981), sponsored by Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) and Congressman Jim Cooper (D-TN). The Senate bill will receive a hearing by the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee in March.

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"With the release of the President's budget Feb. 13, we are reminded that Congress has not passed a concurrent budget resolution in over 1,000 days, and that it has been over a decade since Congress passed all appropriations bills on time," said No Labels Co-Founder Bill Galston. "Monday marks the start of appropriations season and it's time to start the clock. No Labels is urging Congress to obey the law and adhere to the 1974 Budget Act by passing a budget and all 12 appropriations bills by Oct. 1."

"We need to change the incentive structure for members of Congress to fulfill one of their most basic duties: passing a budget and annual spending bills on time," said No Labels Co-Founder David Walker. "To prevent the same gridlock we have seen year after year, No Labels is advocating the passage of the No Budget, No Pay Act. Deadlines matter. If you don't do your job, you don't get paid."

The No Budget, No Pay Act is one of a dozen proposals designed to fix congressional dysfunction by No Labels, a group of Republicans, Democrats and Independents dedicated to making American government work again.

Click here for a copy of the New York Times ad
Click here for the House bill co-sponsors and text (H.R. 3643)
Click here for the Senate bill co-sponsors and text (S. 1981)
Click here for a copy of the letter to leadership

For more information on the No Budget, No Pay Act or to arrange an interview with a No Labels co-founder, please contact Sarah Feldman at [email protected] or (202) 588-1990. To learn more about No Labels, please visit www.NoLabels.org.