To: The United States House of Representatives and The United States Senate

No pay for Congress during the shutdown

Reclassify Congressional salaries as nonessential — and withhold them from any Congress member who votes for a government shutdown.

Why is this important?

In the event of a government shutdown, hundreds of thousands of federal workers are furloughed, not knowing if or when they might get paid. They are powerless to change their fates.

Members of Congress get paid in the event of a government shutdown — no matter what.

Perhaps it's this lack of having skin in the game that encourages some members of Congress to be reckless and cavalier about their childish threats and ultimate misguided decisions to shutdown the government when they can't get their way. Simply put -- if Congressmen and women vote to close down the government, they shouldn't be paid while the government is closed. Members of Congress should have to bear the same responsibility for their decisions as those who are most affected by them.