PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jan 9, 2025
Balanced Budget Accountability Act
This bill withholds Members of Congress's salaries in each chamber if the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) does not certify that the chamber has adopted a balanced budget. The bill also requires that revenue increases be agreed upon by an affirmative three-fifths vote in each chamber.
Balanced budget means a concurrent budget resolution providing that for FY2035 and each succeeding fiscal year to which the resolution applies total outlays do not exceed total receipts and are not more than 18% of the projected gross domestic product for such fiscal year.
For the 119th Congress, if OMB does not certify that a chamber has adopted a balanced budget for the next fiscal year before April 16, salaries of Members of that chamber must be held in escrow until passage of a balanced budget or, if none is passed, the conclusion of the 119th Congress.
For subsequent Congresses, if OMB does not certify that a chamber has adopted a balanced budget for the next fiscal year before April 16, each Member of that chamber shall be paid at the rate of $1 annually for the remainder of the calendar year.
People & committees
Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT] · R–MT
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Aug 5, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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Analyze S.45 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
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