Federal workers and others on the business end of a looming government shutdown are in high stress mode waiting and hoping Congress will pass a spending bill.

One glaring problem: members of Congress don’t have any skin in the game. They’ll still collect paychecks whether the government is up and running or not.

It’s in the Constitution. Nothing can touch the pay of a member of Congress. It’s a galling insult to taxpayers.

But there’s some hope that the status quo could end.

It’s the “No Budget, No Pay Act,” legislation that both the House and Senate introduced this year. It’s meant as a sharp tug on the leash for members of Congress who can’t hit the deadline for passing the spending bill. It’s been attempted on Capitol Hill before, but with the 2028 election looming, passing it could

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