Cornyn Bill 'No Budget No Pay'

Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced SB 620, entitled "No Budget, No OMB Pay 2013". The bill is directed at the Executive Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The OMB is responsible for advising Obama on his proposed budget and expenditures.

Recently, the OMB came under fire as they were very selective on which federal domestic accounts received which cuts and to what extent during the so-called "sequestration". However, they cut all military and most veterans spending at the full rate across the board. This included appropriations accounts such as ammunition procurement, training funds, and operational accounts that keep deployed forces equipped and fed. All defense department accounts were cut near 7.8%, and those domestic accounts that had defense department co-use/concurrent funding were cut at above the 5% domestic account cuts. This was done in order to cut other, less important, accounts less.

Obama has been granted several extensions on his deadline to submit a budget. His latest due date has come and gone without a proposal submitted. In an effort to pressure the OMB to motivate the president to do his job, Senator Cornyn's bill will withhold the director of the OMB's pay until the president obeys the law.

Of course, this bill presumes Obama's empathy and sympathy. The bill could open Obama's spin doctors to place blame on withheld salaries on the GOP.

This bill was introduced in the Senate, the same house of congress that recently proposed a budget that double-counted reduced increases in spending and will not come close to balancing the federal budget. The Democratic Party holds the majority in the US Senate. If this bill lives long enough to see a floor vote, the results will most likely be along party lines. While this is a great political move in taking a stance, it , unfortunately, stands little to no chance of ever passing.