ICYMI: More Than Two Dozen House Democrats Sign Onto Moskowitz Rules Change To Require the U.S. House to Stay in Session During a Government Shutdown

Moskowitz Recently Introduced the Resolution to Block Lawmakers’ Ongoing Paid Vacation

WASHINGTON, DC — As House Republicans continue their third week of inaction on the federal government shutdown, Congressman Jared Moskowitz (D-FL-23) is leading his colleagues to change House rules and require that the House stay in session during future shutdowns. Moskowitz recently introduced the rules change that now counts 26 total signatories from the House Democratic Caucus, including Moskowitz.

Moskowitz’s proposal comes as the federal government shutdown continues with no action in sight from the House Republican majority. While federal workers are showing up for work without pay, lawmakers can continue to receive payment, even as they are not working. Moskowitz is forgoing his own paycheck for the extent of the government shutdown.

Among its provisions, the Moskowitz-led rules change would:

• Keep Lawmakers in Washington: The House must meet at least five days per week until government funding is restored.
• Limit Adjournments of the U.S. House: Lawmakers can only adjourn once every five days and only for a maximum of two days total.
• Require Daily Accountability for Attendance: Each day begins with a quorum call to ensure that Representatives are showing up for work.
• Institute Real Consequences: Any Representative who misses two consecutive days of quorum calls without permission would be fined.

“Members of Congress should be showing up to work during this government shutdown, just as hardworking federal employees and servicemembers are. Instead, the House is recessed out of Washington with no end to this shutdown in sight, and Americans are paying the price. My proposal is simple: keep the House in session, keep lawmakers in Washington, and ensure Congress can’t leave town until there’s finally a bipartisan solution to end this and any future shutdown,” said Congressman Moskowitz.

Joining Moskowitz in support of his rules change are Reps. Val Hoyle (D-OR-04), George Whitesides (D-CA-27), Steven Horsford (D-NV-04), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25), April McClain Delaney (D-MD-06), Maxwell Frost (D-FL-10), Sarah McBride (D-DE-AL), Laura Friedman (D-CA-30), Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Dave Min (D-CA-47), Jill Tokuda (D-HI-02), Greg Landsman (D-OH-01), Susie Lee (D-NV-03), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10), Jahana Hayes (D-CT-05), Emily Randall (D-WA-06), Becca Balint (D-VT-AL), Nikema Williams (D-GA-05), Veronica Escobar (D-TX-16), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA-10), Chris Pappas (D-NH-01), Dan Goldman (D-NY-10), and Mike Thompson (D-CA-04).

For more information on the Moskowitz-proposed rules change, click HERE.

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