"Blue Dog" Democrats in the U.S. House have now signed on to the "No Budget, No Pay" proposal put out by the bipartisan-focused group No Labels. The idea is that if Congress fails to pass a budget on time--one of its most basic duties imposed by the U.S. Constitution--congressmen and senators would forfeit their salaries.

In their endorsement announcement Wednesday, the group quoted several of its members on the need to pass the No Budget, No Pay Act, H.R. 3643, which would put this policy into effect.

“Americans don’t get paid if they don’t do their jobs, so why should Congress? The Blue Dogs have endorsed my bipartisan bill because it’s a step toward restoring Americans’ faith in our government,” said Rep. Jim Cooper (D) of Tennessee, who introduced the measure.

“In the last six decades Congress has passed a budget a mere four times,” said Rep. Kurt Schrader (D) of Oregon. “If this body can't find a way to do what we have been sent here to do by the American people, which is to cut spending and reduce our nation's outrageous $15 trillion deficit, then we don't deserve to get paid.”

A comparable bill, S. 1981, has also been introduced in the Senate by Sen. Dean Heller (R) of Nevada.

The proposal has been picking up considerable support around the country as well. In an editorial, the Columbia (MO) Missourian said, "If Congress were a business, all of its members would be fired for nonperformance. In the private sector, if you don’t do your job on time you get reprimanded, demoted or even fired. In the business world deadlines, responsibility and accountability matter. We support this bill. We think it would force members of Congress to come to the negotiating table on budget and spending bills and stay there until they reach agreement. It’s time for members of Congress to quit shirking their responsibilities and do their work. If members of Congress can’t make spending and budget decisions on time, they shouldn’t get paid on time either — just like the rest of us."

The Cleveland (OH) Plain Dealer published a piece by George Voinovich and Evan Bayh in which they said, "The persistent failure of Congress to pass a budget remains as unacceptable today as when we were in Congress. Our constituents sent us to Washington to do the work of the American people, and systemic gridlock has harmed the very people we were sent to represent.

"The American people have sent a message, and it's time their public servants in Congress heard it. Only 9 percent approve of the job Congress is doing, while 88 percent support the No Budget, No Pay initiative, according to a recent No Labels poll.

To begin to truly change Washington, we need to pass the No Budget, No Pay Act into law. While the bill may not be a cure-all for congressional dysfunction, it's a good place to start. Call your senator or member of Congress. Raise this issue with anyone running for Congress this year. Let them know you support No Budget, No Pay and ask them to co-sponsor the bill."

Voinovich is a former Republican senator and governor of Ohio. Bayh is a former Democratic senator and governor of Indiana.

Numerous other endorsements of the legislation have been published in newspapers all over the country.

The No Budget, No Pay initiative is one of a dozen ideas No Labels set out in their Make Congress Work! campaign.