Money Where Our Mouths Are Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8140
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Congress
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-03-27: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-13T15:08:52Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This bill, titled the Money Where Our Mouths Are Act, aims to stop Members of Congress from receiving pay during periods of a federal government shutdown, defined as a lapse in funding for any federal agency due to the failure to pass necessary spending bills.
Key Provisions
- Pay Prohibition (Sec. 2): If a shutdown occurs during a congressional pay period, the payroll administrator for each chamber (Chief Administrative Officer for the House; Secretary for the Senate) must deduct pay equivalent to one day's salary per 24-hour period of the shutdown.
- Daily pay is calculated based on the annual salary rate under existing law (2 U.S.C. 4501).
- The Secretary of the Treasury provides necessary support to implement this.
- Shutdown Definition (Sec. 3): A "Government shutdown" means any interruption in appropriations (funding) for a federal agency or department caused by not passing a regular appropriations bill or a continuing resolution (temporary funding extension).
- Member Definition (Sec. 4): Applies to Senators, Representatives, Delegates, the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico, and congressional leaders listed under 2 U.S.C. 4501.
- Effective Date: Starts with the 120th Congress (after the current 119th) and applies to all future Congresses.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Currently, Members of Congress continue to receive full pay during government shutdowns, even as many federal employees are furloughed without pay.
- This introduces automatic, prorated pay withholding specifically tied to shutdown days, with no exceptions or waivers mentioned.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Minimal direct effect; shutdown operations remain unchanged, but could indirectly encourage faster passage of funding bills to avoid personal financial pressure on lawmakers.
- On Citizens: No direct impact on public services or benefits, but may reduce the frequency or duration of shutdowns, minimizing disruptions to government functions.
- On International Relations: None apparent.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Primary: Members of Congress (all Senators and House members), who would lose pay during shutdowns.
- Secondary: Congressional payroll staff and the Treasury Department, responsible for implementation.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Relies on existing payroll mechanisms and statutes; self-executing with clear definitions to avoid disputes.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Article I, Section 6 of the U.S. Constitution, which allows Congress to determine its own compensation—here, imposing a conditional reduction.
- Political: Could incentivize bipartisan cooperation on funding to prevent shutdowns, but might be viewed as symbolic or creating unequal treatment compared to furloughed federal workers (who later receive back pay). No court challenges anticipated in the text itself.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-03-27: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-03-27: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-03-27: Introduced in House
- 2026-03-27: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Money Where Our Mouths Are Act — issued 2026-03-27 — PDF (3 pages)