Sponsors
The bill creates a personal financial penalty for members to deter shutdowns and boost accountability, but it raises constitutional/legal concerns, may disrupt legislative functioning, and delays effects until after the next election, limiting near-term impact.
Members of Congress: their pay is cut to $1 during sessions that include a funding lapse, creating a strong financial incentive to avoid government shutdowns and potentially reducing the frequency or duration of shutdowns (benefits taxpayers and the public).
Middle-class families and taxpayers: lawmakers personally bear immediate consequences for failing to pass appropriations on time, which could increase accountability and public trust in Congress.
Members of Congress: the midterm, punitive change to legislator compensation could raise separation-of-powers and constitutional questions, inviting legal challenges and uncertainty about the law's validity.
Voters and current Members of Congress: the law's delay in taking effect until after the next general election reduces its near-term leverage to prevent imminent shutdowns and creates unequal treatment between current and future lawmakers.
State governments, local governments, and the public they serve: imposing penalties on members could distract, demoralize, or disrupt lawmakers during funding lapses, hindering essential legislative work and coordination during shutdowns.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
If any day of a congressional session falls during a funding lapse, each Member of Congress's pay for that session is set to $1 for that period; effective after the next regular federal election following enactment.
Introduced December 12, 2025 by Cory Mills · Last progress December 12, 2025
If any day in a session of Congress falls during a lapse in appropriations caused by failure to pass regular appropriations or a continuing resolution, each Member of Congress would have their pay for that entire session reduced to $1 for the period covering the lapse. The law would take effect for days occurring after the first regularly scheduled general federal election that follows enactment.