“It is time to bring a dose of reality to the swamp. If we cannot do our jobs, then we do not deserve to get paid, plain and simple.”

As the government shutdown continues on its 12th day, House Congressman Ralph Norman (SC-05) introduced a bill on Wednesday to prevent Congress Members from getting paid during a government shutdown.

In a statement, Congressman Norman said:

“It’s shocking to me that this is even an issue, where else in America would employees get paid for failing to do their jobs. Members have a Constitutional duty to keep the government open and funded. As it stands now, Members of Congress still receive their paycheck, even when they cannot keep the government running. This just is not right.

“It is time to bring a dose of reality to the swamp. If we cannot do our jobs, then we do not deserve to get paid, plain and simple. It does not count to delay pay or get back pay as is the case with government employees. In the event of a shut-down we have failed the American people, and therefore have not earned our pay.

“Maybe the threat of losing of money will incentivize Representatives and Senators to return to regular order. I am willing to take whatever steps are necessary to bring accountability and common-sense back to the way our government operates.”

The resolution, introduced in the House of Representatives, would require a Constitutional amendment and once passed in Congress would still need to be ratified by the legislatures in three-fourths of all 50 states within seven years.

The government shutdown is largely due to a stalemate over funding for a proposed border wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Though Trump’s plan for the wall has wavered, with him at times referring to it as a fence, he most recently insisted he would not accept anything less than $2.5 billion in funding for his wall.

Democrats will take over control of the House of Representatives on Thursday and reportedly have a plan to pass a series of proposals to reopen part of the federal government while maintaining the original amount of $1.3 billion offered for Trump’s border wall.

Co-sponsors of Congressman Norman’s proposal to freeze politician’s salaries during a government shutdown include: Congressman Mark Meadows (NC-11), Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Congressman Kevin Hern (OK-01), Congressman Bill Posey (FL-08), Congressman Pete Olson (TX-22), Congressman John Curtis (UT-03).