WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2013 – The House approved legislation (H.R. 325) today that would allow for a short-term increase in the nation’s debt limit and would withhold salaries from members of Congress if either chamber fails to approve a budget.
The “No Budget, No Pay” bill was approved with a 285-114 vote. The bill received the support of 199 Republican lawmakers and 86 Democratic lawmakers. Voting against were 111 Democrats and 33 Republicans.
The bill, which the Senate is expected to approve and President Obama is expected to sign into law, would allow the Treasury Department to issue new debt through May 18. In addition, it would withhold pay from lawmakers beginning on April 15 and lasting until a budget is passed or until the end of the current Congress.
“[The bill] says there should be no long-term increase in the debt limit until there’s a long term plan to deal with the fiscal crisis that faces our country, said House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. “Every hardworking taxpayer in America knows that they have to do a budget. Every hardworking taxpayer understands that you can't continue to spend money that you don't have.”
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