Heller pitches bill withholding pay for lawmakers until budget OK'd

Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., has introduced legislation that would require Congress to pass a budget in order to get their paychecks.

"Clearly Washington is broken," he said. "It's been more than 800 days since Congress executed one of its most basic responsibilities: Passing a budget."

He said that Nevadans work hard for their paychecks but that Congress seems to think it can operate under a lower standard.

"If Congress doesn't do its job, then members shouldn't get paid," he said.

The bill would require members of Congress to pass a budget resolution by the beginning of any fiscal year. If they don't, their checks would stop and, under the Heller plan, retroactive pay for the period before a budget is passed would be prohibited.

"We wouldn't be debating government spending today if Congress had done its job when it was supposed to," he said.