National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021--Conference

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCOTT of Florida. First, I want to thank the chairman for his effort to try to figure out how we can stop shutting down the government.

When I came up here with Senator Braun 2 years ago, we were in a government shutdown, and nobody wins. It doesn't work for any part of government when government gets shut down. I know, talking to the appropriations chair and ranking member, that they are also focused on making sure of what we can do to make sure we pass budgets, pass our spending bills, and not shut down the government.

I want to fight the way Washington has been working. I want to make sure it works for all Florida families, not just career politicians.

I have a background in business like Chairman Johnson does. In the real world, if you don't do your job, you don't get paid. It is really simple. If Congress can't accomplish its most basic task--which I believe is passing a budget, appropriations bills, in an orderly fashion--then why should we get paychecks? I think it is pretty simple.

When you listen to what Chairman Johnson just said; that the current system in Washington is clearly broken, there is no--a lot of people care about this, but there is no one, ultimately, who has responsibility and there are no consequences and it costs our system a lot of money. Congress doesn't pass a budget. Instead, they just pass temporary measures, and it kicks the can down the road.

The thing that has been surprising to me since I got up here is how little of the budget we actually review every year. It is surprising to me that about 70 percent of the budget we don't even look at every year. I think all these things are unacceptable. Congress can't continue to just get away with not doing its basic job and creating a burden.

We have to do something different. That is why I am proud to join my colleagues today to pass the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act, which includes my no budget, no pay proposal.

Withholding paychecks from Members of Congress who fail to pass a budget will help prevent government shutdowns, which hurt the economy, hurt millions of people.

It is also an important step to promote fiscal responsibility in the face of what Senator Johnson said: $27.4 trillion worth of debt. I believe we need to pass the No Budget, No Pay Act now to show we are serious about getting this spending under control and we are serious about the future of this Nation.

Members of Congress make significantly more than the average American makes. We make $174,000 a year, and we are asking them to do the most basic function: pass a budget. It is not complicated. I think every Member of Congress--rich or poor--can agree Congress should pass a budget every year. There is absolutely no reason we can't. Anyone who disagrees should not have this job.

Let's go back. When the American people don't do their job, there are consequences. It is time we make Washington work a little bit like what the real world looks like. Let's pass the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act and get the No Budget, No Pay Act done.

I refer to my colleague from Indiana.

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