Balanced Budget Accountability Act

This bill ties lawmakers’ pay to passing a “balanced budget.” A balanced budget means Congress plans to spend no more than it takes in, and starting with FY2035, spending also can’t be more than 18% of the nation’s projected GDP, as certified by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) . After either chamber passes a budget, OMB must certify whether it meets this balanced standard .

If OMB does not certify a balanced budget by April 16 of the year before the budget starts, pay is affected. For FY2026 and FY2027, members’ salaries in that chamber are put on hold in escrow until a balanced budget passes or until the end of that Congress . Starting with FY2028, if there’s still no certified balanced budget by April 16, each member of that chamber is paid $1 for the rest of the calendar year . The bill also says any bill that raises federal revenue needs a three‑fifths vote in each chamber to pass .

Key points

• Who is affected: Members of Congress; OMB certifies compliance .
• What changes: If no OMB‑certified balanced budget by April 16, member pay is held in escrow (FY2026–FY2027) or cut to $1 for the rest of the year (FY2028 and after) .
• What “balanced” means: Spending does not exceed revenue and, from FY2035 on, is no more than 18% of projected GDP .
• Revenue increases: Need a three‑fifths vote in each chamber .