# What This Constitutional Amendment Would Do

This proposed amendment would tie congressional pay directly to passing a budget. Here's the simple version: Members of Congress wouldn't get paid during any year unless both the House and Senate agree on a budget plan before that year starts. Right now, Congress often fails to pass budgets on time, but members keep getting their paychecks anyway. This amendment would change that by making their wallets feel the consequences of missing the deadline.

The idea behind this is pretty straightforward—it's meant to pressure lawmakers to actually do their jobs and agree on a budget. The thinking goes that if representatives and senators know they won't earn their salaries until a budget is finalized, they'll work harder to reach a compromise instead of letting negotiations drag on. It's similar to how some employers might withhold bonuses until certain goals are met, except in this case the "goal" is one of Congress's most fundamental responsibilities.

However, this amendment would need to be ratified by three-fourths of the states to become law, which is a very high bar. Even if it passed, there are some practical questions about how it would work. For instance, would it apply to all members equally, or could some argue they shouldn't lose pay for delays caused by the other chamber? And what happens to essential government services if Congress is deadlocked and members aren't getting paid—would that make them more or less likely to compromise? The amendment doesn't answer these details, leaving those questions for future interpretation.

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to prohibit Members of Congress from receiving compensation during a fiscal year unless both Houses of Congress have agreed to a concurrent resolution on the budget for that fiscal year prior to the beginning of that fiscal year.

Fitzpatrick, Brian K.

 <p>This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting Members of Congress from receiving compensation during a fiscal year unless both chambers have agreed to an identical concurrent resolution on the budget for that fiscal year before October 1.</p>