Wednesday: No Budget, No Pay Act in the Senate

The Senate meets at 9:30 a.m., and will start work on the No Budget, No Pay Act, H.R. 325.

The House passed this bill last week. It suspends the debt ceiling through May 18, providing more time for Congress to work out a longer-term agreement.

The GOP bill also seeks to force the Senate into passing a budget for the first time in nearly four years. Under the bill, members of Congress would have their pay withheld if their respective chamber fails to pass a budget.

Senate Democrats countered by saying they will pass a budget anyway this year, and generally welcomed the GOP bill as a chance to get out from under the current debt-ceiling constraints, even if just for a short while.

Democrats did not announce when a final vote might take place, but are hoping it can be by the end of the week.

Also Wednesday, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) plans to deliver his farewell speech at 2:30 p.m. on the Senate floor. The Senate confirmed him as the next secretary of State on Tuesday.

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