One way to force compromise in Congress: No budget, no pay
The Fix Congress Now Caucus is a bipartisan task force of representatives committed to fixing Congress through meaningful reforms. Our first goal: Pass the No Budget, No Pay Act, which would require Congress to pass a budget on time or have members' salaries withheld until it does.
Sen. Max Baucus (D) of Montana, left, reaches across the table to shake hands with Rep. Fred Upton (R) of Michigan after bipartisan House and Senate conferees signed a compromise agreement on the payroll tax cut extension Feb. 16. Op-ed contributors from the Fix Congress Now Caucus want to advance 'policies that reflect the common ground that binds us together.'
J. Scott Applewhite/AP/file
Washington
The American people recognize that the 112th Congress is arguably the least popular and least productive in modern history, underscored by its underwhelming 12 percent approval rating.
Continuous campaigning, careerism, and plush committee assignments plague a once productive and results-oriented body, resulting in inaction and hyper-partisanship. While members of Congress and special interests make political and financial gains, the American people suffer. This cannot continue.
Understanding this urgent need for reform, we founded the Fix Congress Now Caucus. This bipartisan task force of 11 reform-minded representatives is deeply committed to fixing this broken institution – not through accusations or empty promises, but through substantive reforms to processes, rules, and the organizational structures under which Congress governs itself.
These reforms, to be worked through and implemented over time, will help ensure that members of Congress focus more on what is good for the country and less on what advances individual political careers.
The caucus is pursuing a variety of initiatives with themes that include improving the tone and civility of our debate, aligning congressional benefits to those in the private sector, tying pay to performance, decentralizing power, changing committee structure, and forcing Congress to pass an annual budget – on time.
Our bipartisan group has already held several meetings to discuss and identify common ground – common sense measures and initiatives that can truly reform Congress. The consensus among our members is that the issue in greatest need of immediate action is budget reform. The best way to move that forward is by supporting H.R. 3643, the No Budget, No Pay Act.
-
Bernanke lets Wall Street down easy: Stimulus to end, but not yet (+video)
- China puts up a green wall to US trash
- Slavery: US gives bad marks to China and Russia in its annual report
- FBI uses drones on US soil: Senators want assurances on privacy protections
- USA Update Julian Assange hints WikiLeaks might publish next Edward Snowden revelations
- Obama pushes big cut in nuclear weapons. Is that a good idea? (+video)
- Obamacare behind schedule as Oct. 1 rollout nears
- In Pictures Ireland forever: images of the emerald isle
- Photos of the Day Photos of the day 06/19
- The Monitor's View Talking with the enemy: Obama, Taliban negotiate Afghanistan's future (+video)
- Gallery Monitor Political Cartoons
- Opinion Ocean's little fish are a big deal (+video)
- Cover storySchool prayer: 50 years after the ban, God and faith more present than ever
-
Pet food recall: Sweeping recall affects food for cats, dogs, and ferrets
- Terrorism & Security Bagram Air Base attack: Four US soldiers killed as US seeks talks with Taliban
- Obamacare behind schedule as Oct. 1 rollout nears
- Modern Parenthood Watermelon Oreos: The public weighs in on social media
- Al Qaeda-allied suicide team blasts UN compound in Mogadishu
© The Christian Science Monitor. All Rights Reserved.
