Senate Committee to Hold Hearing on No Labels' No Budget, No Pay Bill

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Mar 08, 2012, 11:59 ET

On March 14, Historic First Step in Implementing No Labels Make Congress Work! Action Plan

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Wednesday, March 14 at 10 a.m. ET in 342 Dirksen Senate Office Building, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hear testimony on the No Budget, No Pay Act and other reforms from the No Labels MakeCongressWork! action plan in a hearing entitled "Raising the Bar for Congress: Reform Proposals for the 21st Century." No Budget, No Pay withholds congressional pay if members fail to pass spending bills and the budget on time. Scheduled to testify are Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV), Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN), Former Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA), Bill Galston of Brookings Institution.

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"This is an historic moment for Congress," said No Labels Co-Founder Bill Galston. "It's very rare for the institution to hold a hearing on ways to fix itself. The No Budget, No Pay Act and the other No Labels proposals on filibuster reform, fiscal updates to Congress and presidential appointment reform are essential steps to help Congress move from point-scoring to problem-solving."

"No Budget, No Pay simply holds members of Congress to the same standards as the American people," said No Labels Co-Founder Mark McKinnon. "It's a simple concept. Showing up isn't enough anymore. Teachers aren't paid if they don't show up to teach. Nurses aren't paid if they can't care for their patients. If our legislators don't legislate, they shouldn't be paid. No Labels is thrilled to have a hearing on this bill and the opportunity to discuss other enforcement mechanisms for congressional accountability."

The No Budget, No Pay Act (S. 1981/H.R. 3643) is sponsored by Sen. Heller and Rep. Cooper and has 39 additional co-sponsors to date.

No Labels is a group of Republicans, Democrats and Independents who want our government to work again. For more information on the March 14 hearing, Make Congress Work! action plan, 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 NoLabels.org.

SOURCE No Labels