House & Senate Look At Pay Sequester

Wyoming’s U.S. Senator Mike Enzi and a group of senators that included one Democrat last week put members of Congress on notice today in demanding they pass a budget. This time the demand comes with teeth.  The bill would prohibit Congressional pay until they pass a budget.  Members of the House also introduced their own version of “No Budget, No Pay” which was passed late last week.  The Senate and House versions differ, but both adhere to the Constitution, which prohibits members from increasing or decreasing their own salary.  The House bill would keep member pay in an escrow account that would be paid out when a budget is passed or on the final day of the 113th Congress while the Senate bill would take effect at the beginning of the next Congress, in early 2015.  Wyoming Representative Cynthia Lummis told Jackson Hole Radio News that the House has proposed a budget every year, but the Senate has not adopted one. Lummis says the issue has become one of the House versus the Senate and the Senate’s refusal to act on House-passed budgets makes it like playing a tennis match without an opponent.  The Senate has yet to act on their “No Budget, No Pay” measure.