Walz offers amendment to cut Congress’ pay in case of shutdown

Rep. Tim Walz offered an amendment on Friday that would prevent members of Congress from getting paid in the event of a government shutdown. The measure, which was to be attached to the Government Shutdown Prevention Act, failed along party lines. Democrats had hoped to use the move as a gotcha: a similar provision is already included in the shutdown prevention act, but Democrats wanted an up or down vote on it.

“Where I come from, nobody gets paid for a job they didn’t do,” Walz said in a statement following the vote. “The American people send us here to work together and solve the country’s problems and if we can’t do that, I don’t think we should be taking home a paycheck.”

Walz took to the House floor on Friday to rally support for his amendment. “We should have an up or down vote on this. There is no need to delay and no need to include it in a larger, more complicated package,” he said. “This is simple. Members of Congress and the President shouldn’t get special treatment.”

He added, “The language already in this bill isn’t good enough. It doesn’t allow for immediate passage of this simple provision and it doesn’t prevent Members of Congress from retroactively paying themselves.”

The bill split the Minnesota delegation along party lines. Rep. Michele Bachmann, who has been criticizing Democrats on shutdown rhetoric, voted against the amendment.

Shortly after voting against the provision, Bachmann went to reporters Friday to say that members should not get paid if there’s a shutdown.

“This is a matter of priorities,” she said. “If the United States Congress is deciding to play games, they need to lose their paychecks.”